Town is fully open for business
Horsham district will be fully open for business on Monday.
That’s the message from Horsham District Council as many more shops in our towns and villages prepare to reopen next week.
Task forces have been hard at work preparing the high streets to ensure customers can be confident about safety when they venture out.
And shoppers are being urged to support local businesses to ensure our economy can thrive again, helping business owners and workers.
But people are being warned to be expect a ‘new normal’ - and Swan Walk shopping centre manager Gill
Buchanan urged everyone to be ‘understanding and kind’.
She said: “We’re absolutely ready to welcome people back but we want people to recognise it is currently a very different experience to what it has been previously.
“We’re delighted to have you back but please look at floor markings, work with our retailers.
“Plan more time for your trip because it’s likely you might have to wait outside a shop you want to go into.”
Shoppers are being asked to be ‘understanding and kind’ as non-essential shops reopen in the Horsham district for the first time in months.
Swan Walk shopping centre manager Gill Buchanan warned shoppers should expect a different experience when non-essential stores reopen next week.
Between 55 and 60 per cent of stores in the centre are expected to reopen on Monday, she said.
Swan Walk, which has remained open throughout lockdown, has put in place measures to keep customers safe including signage, a one way system and extra cleaning.
Gill said: “We’re absolutely ready to welcome people back but we want people to recognise it is currently a very different experience to what it has been previously.
“We’re delighted to have you back but please look at floor markings, work with our retailers.
“Plan more time for your trip because it’s likely you might have to wait outside a shop you want to go into.”
Individual shops as well as the shopping centre as a whole will have to control customer numbers, Gill said.
She said: “There may be situations where people will have to even wait outside the shopping centre. We have to also adhere to government guidelines.”
Gill urged customers to visit the centre alone if possible and to aim to shop during quieter periods to make social distancing as easy as possible.
She added: “We’re doing all we can to keep them safe and welcome. We will do absolutely our best to get their shopping trip through as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
The main lifts near the toilets and West Street doors will be entrances to the centre only with Carfax entrance becoming exit only with clear signage highlighting the council’s Medwin Walk lift and stairs for returning to the car park.
Horsham District Council is also working to ensure shopping areas in all the towns and villages are prepared for the reopening of retails outlets including clothes stores and charity shops.
A spokesman said Covid-19 safety and security measures include comprehensive signage and directional street and pavement markings to allow shoppers to observe social distancing. Signs will also be installed in carparks and public toilets to guide and reassure the public.
A digital map will be produced for every town centre in the district to indicate which public toilets are open for use.
A spokesman for HDC said: “The council is working with local task forces across the district in each market town centre to introduce bespoke safety measure schemes.
“Additional funding of £128,132 has been allocated to the council to support the re-opening of high streets and other retail spaces, while ensuring they are safe for residents and tourists to visit.”
The safety measures form the initial phase of the safe re-opening for businesses project across Horsham District. The council said the measures will be revised and amended accordingly and additional phases introduced in due course.
A spokesman added:
“Since the start of the pandemic, the council has supported many traders in a variety of ways such as switching their distribution methods to online sales solutions, including takeaways, click and collect, and home delivery services.”
Councillor Paul Clarke, cabinet member for local economy and parking,
added: “It’s great news that more businesses can reopen on June 15, but they must do so safely for their employees and their customers.
“We welcome the additional allocation of funding that has been allocated to the Horsham District by the Government.
“We are working with businesses and partners in the Horsham town centre and the market towns and villages on practical measures to ensure people can be confident that it’s safe to return.”
Mr Clarke praised staff at the council who had worked long hours to make the system for distributing the cash work.
He added: “A special word of commendation or thanks needs to go to the backroom staff or the contractors who work for the council.
“Some people worked very hard and we need to thank them for that.
“I have been incredibly impressed.”
● Grants available to more businesses - page 7
● MP’s comment - page 24