Normally, the arrival of summer would mean that soon enough, suitcases would be cumbersomely yanked down from the loft and long-abandoned swimwear would be eyed with unease. Afterwards, we’d be boarding planes, perusing cocktail menus and savouring the idea of respite from what we’d previously dubbed “everyday life”. This time around, air travel is still largely a pipe dream, while the onset of warmer temperatures is less about downing tools as it is the beginning of a period of immense productivity and regrowth. After months of pacing living rooms and pining for what we once took for granted, hospitality and retail sections are lurching back to life and in what has made for heartening scenes in our towns and villages, their patrons have too.
