After a walk into Grantham on Thursday that I will never forget, it only seemed right I should repeat the exercise for my exercise.

Today was market day and perhaps controversially, South Kesteven District Council has decided its markets will continue.

Earlier this week, East Lindsey District Council said it was suspending its markets due to the coronavirus epidemic, adding some stallholders were now doing home delivery.

By contrast, both SKDC and Rutland County Council stressed they would help ensure social distancing measures were enforced so people could still pick up their 'essential' supplies, like fresh fruit and veg and other food.

First, to get to Grantham market, I took a little detour, noting Grantham station was practically abandoned. A lone member of staff was cleaning and outside a solitary bus was parked waiting for passengers that never arrived. The car parks were virtually empty.

Heading closer into town, for once a police presence was noted. I saw a police tactical support van plying its way on one of the main roads and two uniformed officers in hi-vis jackets could be seen stopping and talking to pedestrians before they headed off towards Morrisons.

In Westgate, Grantham market cut a forlorn figure- barely half of its usual size as it focussed on the 'essentials' as permitted under the lock-down.

These days, Grantham Market struggles at the best of times. Despite the best efforts of the traders and South Kesteven District Council, it never achieves the crowds and abundant number of stalls that Stamford market enjoys even now.

Talk to any older Grantham resident though, and they will hark back to decades ago, when it packed Market Square and stretched pretty much all the way down Westgate and you could get anything you could possibly want.

But markets have suffered nationally. Grantham is not alone. My parents, who are now in their eighties, made a good living as market traders in Yorkshire during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Some of the markets they went to don't exist today. Others are just a shadow of their former glory.

The decline of markets, as my parents and any older Grantham resident will also tell you, can be put down to parking restrictions, supermarkets, out-of-town shopping centres, young people not supporting them and now we have the internet and online shopping.

Anyway, as I approached the fruit stall, there were a few customers and signs advised how you had to keep apart. It seemed to work well, but the discounting of fruit and vegetables seemed to have started a little earlier than usual.

Other stalls, despite their lovely breads, fine meats and so on, seemed pretty quiet and the fish van warned of no fish.

I saw no crowds at all and it was barely lunchtime. It was easy to keep your distance and I do wonder if it was worthwhile for the stallholders to show up. Of course, it could have been busy earlier. I hope it was and I also hope SKDC will not charge the stallholders rent while this crisis continues.

Minutes later, I walked down Watergate and despite the free parking, which SKDC has just announced for its car parks, the normally-busy Watergate Car Park was practically empty.

Back up the high street queues could be seen outside Boots and a member of staff was telling people only a certain number could enter at a time. They were also queueing outside Sainsbury's today, and M&S.

Outside B&Q were strange bin things for click and collect deliveries. I saw a young lad quickly grab an order from a customer before dashing off for safety and I guess what the customer ordered.

Soon I was back home, but on the way I smiled and walked onto the empty road as a middle-aged couple passed by. 'Thank You' they said, which was far better than the small group of teenage girls who pretended to cough when I did the same to them yesterday.

Will I go out tonight and do the shopping I had earlier intended? Probably, otherwise it's a carton of soup for dinner and I really do need to get some washing powder.

Oh! how I long for the days when the pubs were open and you could eat at Grantham's fine range of pubs, cafes and restaurants. This is a town where you will never starve or go thirsty and all for an affordable, good price.

Saturday just isn't the same anymore, when previously I would enjoy lunch somewhere in town, followed by a couple of pints with friends in Beerheadz and the Nobody Inn, before stopping off for a few bits of shopping on the way home.

Let's hope the crisis ends quickly for all our sakes.