York and North Yorkshire remembers a year on from lockdown
Restrictions to tackle Covid-19 began on this day (23rd March) in 2020.
It's a year to the day (23rd March) since lockdown started in York and across the whole UK.
People were told stay at home apart from essential travel, and all non-essential shops were to close.
At the time, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told MPs that people should only leave their homes for four reasons:
to buy food
to exercise once a day alone or with members of the same household
because of a medical need or to provide care for a vulnerable person
to travel to or from work that cannot be done from home. For work that cannot be done at home, Mr Hancock recommended a 2 metre gap between employees.
We've been speaking to different groups in York to reflect on the emotions they went through at the time, and how they're feeling a year on.
Malcolm Tolladay is the landlord of The Winning Post pub in York. He says there was uncertainty before lockdown started: "The advice was not to go into pubs, yet pubs were still open and we still needed to operate.
"We still had staffing in play and stock in play. Not only for ourselves but for our staff they were worrying times about what would happen next; I remember the rumours of shutting down totally.
"Looking back and not trying to put too much hindsight on it, it was I think viewed at that time as not potentially going to be too long a time that we may have been shut down for. However, events have shown things turning out very differently.
"The real stress and issues that we found when operating the pub was that there was so much hearsay on social media and the news about what would happen next.
"You never felt you could actually put the finger on what would actually happen next. We're pretty much on our needs now financially - even with furlough.
"There are still costs associated with retaining our staff, and there's still fixed costs that we have to meet. It's been massively challenging financially and we really need to just reopen now, as there's no money left".
Trevor Bayfield is from Kirkbymoorside in the Ryedale District, and was one of the first people in Yorkshire to be treated for Covid-19: "Obviously it was a very unknown period, and we didn't know how long we were going to be in lockdown. A lot of people were very sensible and realised it was for the greater good.
"They were my emotions - that we needed to do this. I felt as though because I had had Covid (by the time lockdown occurred) and had the antibodies, it was a bonus for me in one respect. However, I totally respected the point where people were very scared going out. I always adhered to the rules and regulations".
Trevor has also played his part with plasma donations: "Initially my blood was being sent down to the World Health Organisation in Oxford to try to get some sort of vaccine, as well as the plasma which came through to treat people.
"Everybody is itching to get back to some sort of normality, and with the vaccine rollout I feel very proud to be British. The fact that we've had a lot of people vaccinated now is a very positive aspect, and I do feel we're going to get a very good release this Summer".
We also caught up with students from the University of York, and asked them what they miss the most about pre-pandemic life.
Brooke Davies - final year Politics student: "I miss just being on campus, even just to go to a dull seminar or lecture. You do feel it at University when you don't have that family unit. I miss the social side the most".
Beth Hardisty - second year Politics, Philosophy and Economics student: "I miss seeing people and having that social interaction. Getting to have those sorts of conversations with people around campus - even those sorts of chats with people you don't know that well".
Isaac Lowe - final year Computer Science student: "I miss the spontaneity. I miss the fact that I could wander into labs and someone could walk up to my desk and suggest a project. You had these moments that opened your mind a bit and were exciting. Everything has to be so structured now".
Maeve Schaffer - Politics, Philosophy and Economics student: "I must admit I just miss being able to go to a club and speak to a load of strangers. Sometimes you just want to get drunk and talk to a load of random people and make friends!"
Iwan Stone - final year English Literature student: "I miss having the choice, and being able to go out and see friends without having to plan ahead. Socialising is seen as a need now, rather than something you can pick and choose".