Spread the word - Horsham district is open for business
It would be easy to assume in the silence of the lockdown broken only by the song of the bird and the occasional growl of a car - that our businesses have all shut up shop too.
Well many, of course, have had to close their doors. For other firms, their staff are working from home - at kitchen tables, in a spare bedroom, in any corner that will accommodate a laptop and mobile.
The journalism that continues to sustain this newspaper every week and its website 24/7 is produced entirely from where our reporters live.
But dozens of small operations the length and breadth of West Sussex and beyond are still trading adapting inevitably to the controls in place, often providing home delivery.
Today, this newspaper celebrates their efforts, urges residents to keep Sussex working, and makes its own contribution to helping them spread their message that they are Open for Business.
As just one part of #supportlocal we will be launching our Open for Business page in this newspaper to ensure that our readers and those creative and generous businesses offering essential services remain connected.
This directory is an opportunity for businesses to let you know they are still there for you offering the vital services you still need. And it gives our readers the opportunity to know where to turn to, whether it’s being reassured that the corner shop is still open to having that take-away meal left safely on your doorstep.
We know for many enterprises money is particularly tight at the moment, so we are not making a charge for a straight-forward listing on the page - although they are welcome to pay for a larger advertisement if they wish to help sustain both them and our journalism!
It is a simple means of keeping our communities connected but such an important one. Through good times and bad we are always here to #’supportlocal.
If you are a business and would like to tell our readers you are, well, Open for Business, then please call 020 7084 9132 and we will be happy to spread the word.
In addition, we were delighted to learn that the South Downs National Park Authority has now created an online map of food and drink businesses offering services – attracting 2,300 unique views so far.
Since launching, the map now features over 200 businesses and 74 community support groups.
Kat Beer, who works in the sustainable economy team and has been helping to put together the resource, said: “We have been overwhelmed by how many food and drink businesses have been able to adapt their operations and support people to access food, drink and other supplies during this difficult time.
“Many communities have created vital help for vulnerable and elderly residents through volunteering their time. People can find details of the community support groups covering their area on the map.”
So let us raise a glass of Sussex wine or apple juice to everyone who is ensuring that despite all the challenges we remain Open for Business.