CUSTOMERS queued up for more than an hour before Cardwell Garden Centre re-opened after coronavirus restrictions were eased.

The popular garden centre near Gourock is now open from 10am until 4pm seven days a week.

Bosses have introduced measures to keep shoppers and staff safe and only a certain number of customers will be allowed into the garden centre at the same time.

The garden centre opened its doors at 10am and first in line were Gordon and Jennifer Elder, from Saltcoats to pick up their favourite plants and flowers.

Jennifer, aged 62 said: “We love our garden and it’s been horrible during lockdown not being able get it the way it usually is for the summer.

“We’re regulars at Cardwell and we couldn’t wait for the centre to open again. Every day I’ve been checking their Facebook page to see when we could come here to buy flowers for our hanging baskets, bedding plants and other things we needed.”

Gordon added: “We love sitting in our garden surrounded by colourful flowers and we also grow cucumbers and tomatoes.

Cardwell Garden Centre director, Kieran Gallagher said: “It’s great to be able to welcome all our customers back to the centre.

“We know they’ve been desperate to get cracking in their gardens and we’ve been inundated with messages on social media asking when we are going to re-open.

“We’d like to thank our staff, who have been working hard in the past few days to get the centre ready and also Inverclyde Council officials who have helped us prepare for re-opening.”

A maximum of two people will be allowed in together and they should have only one trolley, which has been sanitised, between them.

Customers are also being encouraged to use the free hand sanitisers at the entrance and at other points inside the centre. Perspex screens have also been fitted at the till area.

Social distancing has to be observed at all times and there is signage on the floor and walls that marks the one-way system of getting around the centre.

Go to www.cardwellgardencentre.co.uk for more details of the re-opening.