The public toilets in the Corn Exchange will open for shoppers from Monday after most stores and shopping centres revealed they would be keeping theirs closed despite efforts to attract shoppers back to the town centre.

Both Sailmakers and the Buttermarket Centre are keeping their public toilets closed for the time being – although Sailmakers does say its staff will be able to open them in an emergency.

After an approach from Ipswich Central, the borough council has agreed to open its toilets in the Corn Exchange. Its public toilets at Major’s Corner have already reopened.

MORE: Ipswich prepares to reopen on Monday

Businesses are unclear about how many people are likely to return to the town centre when most non-essential stores reopen on Monday. There will be keep left signs for pedestrians and Upper Brook Street will be closed to traffic.

The opening of some public toilets are seen as vital if people are to be attracted back into the town centre – although they will have to have additional cleaning and require more staff time.

Another move by the borough council to attract people back into the town from Monday is the reopening of the Crown Car Park where parking will be free for all vehicles for a maximum of five hours until July 3 in a bid to attract people back to the town.

Meanwhile in another easing of lockdown, the Christchurch Mansion tearoom is to reopen for takeaway food in the next few days.

The tables in the garden will not be open, but the kiosk hatch will be open to sell pre-made food and packed ice cream. Visitors will be able to buy lollies and tubs – but no cornets or 99s!

Apart from the Black Lives Matter protests at the weekend, Ipswich’s parks were not as busy this week as they have been recently – but given the weather over the last seven days that is possibly not surprising.

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Skate parks have reopened and are quite popular, but outdoor gym equipment and playgrounds remain closed because of problems with enforcing social distancing and keeping them clean.

And after a busy first two weeks’ of collections, the amount of garden compost being collected in brown bins has now returned to last year’s level – suggesting most households have now tidied their gardens and have got rid of their waste.