Staff at Blackwell’s bookshops in Oxford welcomed back customers who have been missing the opportunity to browse the bookshelves for their favourite titles.

All three of the chain’s bookshops in the city reopened on Monday - the main store in Broad Street, the poster shop across the road, and the bookstore at the Westgate Centre.

The company has been selling books since 1879.

Read again: Independent booksellers will now trade online

During the pandemic and repeated lockdowns Blackwell’s has been serving customers online, over the phone and from the Broad Street Collection Point.

Staff, who were busy in stores on Monday and yesterday, have also offered a vital service to readers with its local same-day bike delivery.

Books on display in Blackwells in Broad Street Picture: Fran Way

Books on display in Blackwell's in Broad Street Picture: Fran Way

Blackwell’s was the only bookshop in Oxford to offer Click and Collect throughout the lockdown.

The easing of the Government’s coronavirus restrictions allowed all non-essential shops to open again on Monday, including bookshops.

Rebecca Macalister, Blackwell’s area manager for Oxford, said: “Speaking to customers on the phone and at our Collection Point, we know how much people have missed being able to browse the shelves in our bookshops and we have certainly missed them too.

“We’ve got exciting plans to make this spring really special at Blackwell’s.”

Read more: All you need to know when you go to the pub

Anyone who visits Blackwell’s this week will be in with the chance of winning a copy of the stunning illustrated edition of Northern Lights, signed by Philip Pullman for Blackwell’s.

The Oxford author visited the bookshop to be interviewed for a Blackwell’s virtual event at the end of last year and signed books in the historic Gaffer’s Room on Broad Street. Customers can speak to a bookseller in the shop to enter the prize draw.

The Norrington Room at Blackwells Picture: Fran Way

The Norrington Room at Blackwell's Picture: Fran Way

The safety of booksellers and customers remains of the greatest importance say managers - the legal requirement to wear a face covering unless you are exempt is still in place.

Customers are being encouraged to keep up physical distancing and use hand sanitiser to keep everyone safe.

Read more: City centre pubs busier than anticipated

Blackwell’s Book Bike has been very popular over the last year and allows an order to be placed over the phone, with the order delivered on the same day to any address within the Oxford ring road.

Blackwell’s has linked up with local eco-courier Pedal & Post to provide this service and has recently recruited its own cycle courier to deliver books around the city full-time.

Jake Pumphrey and Nick Walsh have reopened The Book Stop in Magdalen Street and The Last Bookshop in Walton Street.

They have also launched a new online bookshop billandbenbooks.co.uk. In Summertown, Daunt Books has reopened in Banbury Road.

Based in Marylebone, London, the chain opened the new branch in July.