Face coverings are no longer a legal requirement in shops in Wales due to the changes to Test and Trace services made earlier this week.

The reaction to face coverings no longer being required has been split among shops on Haverfordwest high street.

Despite the changes, most people have still been wearing face coverings when shopping and many shops have still Perspex screens placed between members of staff and customers for covid protection.

A spokesperson from the Welsh Spitfire Charity Shop on Bridge Street when asked about the impact on the shop said: “It’s not much different. Most of our customers are older and perhaps forget that the rules have been lifted. We still have our Perspex screen and wear face shields when walking around the shop.”

This perspective was echoed by a spokesperson for The Sheep Shop on Bridge Street. They said: “Not much has changed since the rules have been lifted. The majority are still wearing their masks, but I presume that those who aren’t are probably tourists as the rules have been lifted in England for a long time.”

A staff member at The Victoria Book Shop in Haverfordwest unscientifically calculated that approximately three-quarters of the customers who entered the shop today were still wearing face coverings.

Shop owner Marley Davies said: “I think that it’s nice that people are being cautious by wearing their face masks. It’s important that we get to a new normal, whatever that may be. The next step is getting people back into the community and shopping.”

Despite most shop owners continuing to wear their masks, The Ark is ‘delighted’ to be getting rid of face coverings.

A spokesperson from the healthy living shop said: “Hopefully getting rid of the face masks will bring in more people as things are getting back to normal. We won’t be wearing our facemasks, but if people ask us to wear them, we will.”