SAINT George’s Street and the High Street in Winchester have seen a recent rise in the number of shop awnings, once thought to be a relic of a bygone age.
The need for shade over shop windows beyond aesthetics has long since vanished with air conditioning becoming more widespread. However, with the recent heatwave paired with surging energy prices, businesses are returning to tried and tested methods of keeping cool.
A member of staff at Basil Leaf Deli on St George’s Street said: “We put up the covering two or three weeks ago to protect the fruit from the sun. It also looks nice and makes the shop more visible to passing cars”.
Though only ten out of over a hundred shops and restaurants on these two streets now bear canopy awnings and go largely unnoticed by consumers, the overall effect brings back into view the charm and elegance long associated with the City of Winchester.
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