A NUMBER of estate agents in Barrow and surrounding areas have reopened as lockdown measures in the country continue to be eased.

David Corrie, managing director of Corrie & Co, which has offices in Barrow, Millom and Ulverston, said the company had been operating out of all its areas for two weeks with a workforce of around 50 per cent - although staff are being 'discouraged' from actually going into the offices.

He said the business had been 'totally rushed off (its) feet'.

"The upturn has been amazing," he said. "We have got houses now where we agreed sales before lockdown and they are starting to go through and complete.

"We have got quite a lot of property coming to the market.

"The public have had a lot of time at home to reflect.

"Houses with gardens are incredibly popular because people are looking for outside space."

He also said there was now a 'bigger spread' of people looking for houses in villages in rural areas, whereas before there had been a 'bias' towards property in towns.

Ross Estate Agencies, which has a Barrow office, reopened on May 18. Residential lettings coordinator Madeline Neale said it was operating with a 'skeleton staff'.

She said the company was doing viewings but with social distance and other measures in place to ensure safety.

H&H Land & Estates, which has an office at Grange, is to reopen all of its offices 'for viewings and valuations plus property and business advice' from June 1.

Managing director Colin Tomlinson said: "We have conducted a thorough risk assessment and can confirm that we have put measures in place to open all our doors again for business.

“Yes it will be different, yes it may feel strange at first, but we want to assure anyone stepping into any of our agencies, that they can expect the safest environment to conduct business and we will provide clear guidance on how this will be done.”