Aberdeen: On the streets as city goes back into lockdown
"This morning this place was buzzing... in the space of a few hours it's like being back in March," one coffee shop owner says.
Wednesday 5 August 2020 23:02, UK
Walking around Aberdeen city centre at 5pm and workers are heading straight home - the streets are emptying quickly. There are no post-work drinks.
"It's like a time machine has come on - it's like being back in March," said Ian Cukrowski - a coffee shop owner closing up shop, yet again.
"We've gone back to what it was during the lockdown in the space of a day.
"This morning this place was buzzing, the cafe and restaurant tables were out and within the space of a few hours it's like being back in March and April."
Further up Union Street, around 10 pub-goers at The Grill are ordering their last pints, with an hour to go until it closes for at least the next seven days.
Its owner - Allan Henderson - had just got the 150-year-old pub back up and running.
"It's obviously a disappointment," he said.
"Staff have done a fantastic job over the last few weeks, [but] here we are again back into lockdown.
"At the end of the day it's a pandemic, a public health crisis, and health has to come first. It's a cliff edge. You go from X pounds a week to zero. It's a total cliff edge."
Many locals say they're not surprised the city has gone back into lockdown, after pictures of packed bars over the last few weeks.
Angela - on her way home from a record store - says she's nervous about the latest outbreak.
"To be honest safety comes first," she said.
"I feel people, with this virus, it's not just people breaking the rules that are going to get ill, it's those in high-risk categories - so it's just better to be safe."
It will be another week at least before Aberdeen will re-open - and only if this latest outbreak slows.