For many of our local shops, yesterday marked the first time that they have been able to welcome customers since the lockdown measures came into force in March.
This latest step in carefully easing the measures – which has only been possible thanks to our continued collective progress in tackling Coronavirus – is good news for local retailers, who have been facing a very difficult time. I would encourage residents, if you are able, to get out and support them. Elmbridge Borough Council has a useful list of local business which have re-opened here.
All businesses which are re-opening must follow government guidelines for doing so safely. If you are able to get out shopping, you should expect to see measures such as socially-distanced queueing, screens at checkouts and one-way systems in place.
It is encouraging that the government has been supporting Elmbridge in making this transition. The re-opening of our shops is being assisted by the funding which the government allocated to Elmbridge to help prepare for re-opening, and by a package of support recently launched by the government’s High Streets Task Force. This provides councils and all organisations involved with high streets with access to cutting-edge tools, training, information and advice. More information is available here.
(Image: Dom hearing from local businesses at a Federation of Small Businesses roundtable last year)
_itok-eMFNQPgJ.jpg)