Earlier this afternoon, I joined local Conservative candidate Kris Januszajtis-Neale to check in on shops and businesses at Walton Station and Halfway. This was the latest in a series of visits I’ve been making to shops and high streets across Elmbridge, seeing how they’ve been doing since re-opening after lockdown.
Today we dropped in to Petals of Wisdom, a great florists by Walton Station, as well as Giuseppe’s Coffee Shop, The Barber Shop, Tech Shed and Chocolate Box nearby. Being so close to the station, these businesses had a really difficult time when people stopped commuting during lockdown, so it was great to see them bouncing back.
Next, we moved on to the Halfway shops. Kris and I spoke to owners and staff at the Italian restaurant L’affamato, CIT camping and Cherry’s pharmacy. I was particularly impressed by the hard work everyone at the pharmacy has put in over this difficult period. Just like the Boots I visited in Esher recently, its services proved vital to local residents during lockdown.
Across all the businesses we visited today we saw positivity, innovative business practices as they’ve adapted to the new conditions, and appreciation for government support. All these factors will continue to be crucial in the months ahead.
