The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Preparing for city centre opening
Three weeks ago the Prime Minister lifted restrictions on our movements slightly to allow more people to get back to work and for unlimited outdoors exercise – all whilst observing social distancing of course.
We now know that outdoor markets and car showrooms will be able to reopen from 1 June and all other non-essential retail outlets from 15 June, if the Government’s five tests are met and they follow the COVID-19 guidelines to protect workers and shoppers.
On Peterborough Market, traders selling essential items such as food, DIY and hardware goods have been able to continue trading during the lockdown. We now plan to undertake a health and safety audit to ensure the Government’s social distancing measures can be implemented safely, before allowing traders selling non-essential items to return.
We have been planning for the reopening of the city centre for a number of weeks, together with local businesses and business representative groups such as Queensgate, Opportunity Peterborough and Peterborough Positive, so that there is clear guidance for businesses.
New social distancing guidance and signage will begin to be installed in the city soon and people will start to notice that things they touch a lot such as benches, bins and pay and display machines are being cleaned more regularly.
We are also working with businesses to see how areas such as St Peter’s Arcade and the Guildhall can become part a wider café culture in the city – I’ll be able to tell you more about this soon!
Of course, all of this will cost money, so I am pleased the Government has allocated us £181,000 from the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund to pay for some of the changes that will be necessary.
We know that COVID-19 has had a harsh impact on businesses in Peterborough and that’s why we are looking at how we can re-open our city centre as soon as we are able to, as safely as possible.
We know our city’s economy is strong which means we are in a better position than most to weather the crisis.
If your child is going back to school next week, then I hope you and they adjust to the new way in which schools will need to operate temporarily to allow children to resume their education safely.
I would like to thank every school in the city for the extensive work they have put in to planning this.
At each school there will be bubbles of a maximum of 15 pupils, which will encounter every aspect of the school day together, having no contact with anyone from other bubbles.
Many schools are operating staggered start and finish times, lunches and break times and some will operate shorter days to be able to deep clean and prepare for the following week.
Managers of nurseries which will be reopening have also been working hard to ensure processes are in place to make them as safe as possible for staff and children.
If you have chosen not to send your child to school – or indeed your child has not been offered the chance to return yet - please continue to do what you can at home. Schools are sharing information with families on a regular basis so pupils don’t fall behind and there are lots of online resources too, such as the Home Learning Hub - www. cambslearntogether.co.uk created by Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Education colleagues.
Our parents have been doing an incredible job educating their children at home, in very challenging circumstances, and we ask that you continue to do so until your child is able to return to school.
And a big thank you to those schools which have remained open during lockdown – even during school holidays – to look after the children of key workers and vulnerable children.