Shoppers told ‘don’t let your guard down’

Royal Borough: Coldstream Guard with public health safety message as people return to the shops

A campaign has been launched encouraging businesses and residents to ‘not let your guard down’ as Windsor and Maidenhead prepares for the reopening of non-essential shops in a few weeks’ time.

On Monday, April 12, ‘non-essential’ shops like hairdressers, book shops, gyms and fashion retailers will be able to reopen their doors to the public.

The ‘Don’t Let Your Guard Down’ campaign has been launched to give businesses the support they need ahead of reopening and to remind businesses and residents alike of the public health message.

Steph James, Royal Borough service lead for economic growth said: “It’s been a really tough year and everyone’s itching to get back.

“The branding with the guard is unique to the Royal Borough – it’s a Coldstream Guard. We wanted to have fun with it but also not forget the public health message as well.”

After launching the campaign on Monday, businesses have already started getting on board, with one offering to print posters for free to display around the town.

According to Steph, the campaign will ramp up as April 12 approaches, with ‘life-sized’ guards also soon to appear in the town centre.

The hope is that businesses in the area will use the campaign’s resources to help get themselves ready for the reopening.

Free ‘lunch and learn’ sessions are being put on for any retailers that want to step up their digital marketing and social media presence. A blog has also been set up sharing the lockdown stories of businesses around the borough, which Steph has encouraged people to send in.

The campaign is also urging business owners and staff to get regular coronavirus tests and providing advice on how to make the workplace COVIDsecure.

Steph added: “We have lots of resources that businesses can download and post on social media, they can get behind the campaign and support it.

“As we get closer to April 12, people will start seeing much more visible messages out and about, we are just really excited about getting the businesses back and supporting them where we can.”

If you would like to get your business involved in the Don’t Let Your Guard Down campaign, visit myroyalborough.com/