The following is a press release from Spelthorne Council:
Spelthorne Borough Council is making preparations to ensure the safe reopening of our high streets across the Borough for residents to shop for necessary items and enjoy outdoor hospitality.
The Council works closely with various partners, including the Elmsleigh Centre, Two Rivers and Visit Staines and our Town Centre manager provides support for businesses in Sunbury, Shepperton and Ashford. Over the past year, we have strived to ensure measures are in place to make our high streets Covid-safe for residents, visitors, and traders. We continually review these and have made adjustments to improve these measures.
From Monday 12 April, people will be able to visit non-essential retail outlets such as clothing stores, hairdressers and jewellers as well as outdoor hospitality, providing they can meet COVID-19 safety and security guidelines. The Council are looking forward to welcoming back residents to our high street and we would encourage you to shop locally.
The Council continues to have banner railings, posters and digital screens around our high streets reminding people of the social distancing measures that are in place. This is being done to ensure that residents and visitors can continue to observe the social distancing guidelines.
We have been working with Staines Market over the past 12 months to ensure they can operate in a manner that is safe for residents. The handwashing station on Staines High Street will also be remaining in place.
All measures will be revised and amended accordingly with additional phases introduced in due course.
Over the course of this pandemic, the Council have worked to support businesses by issuing government backed business grants (totalling over £16million). We continue to offer guidance to traders changing the way they do business providing hygiene and environmental health advice to help takeaways improve and we will continue to do so as we enter the next recovery phases.
Residents can help stop the spread by remembering Hands, Face, Space and taking care when they are shopping.
