Campaign launched to highlight safe local high streets

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Published: Tue 8th September, 2020

Shop Safe, Shop Local – that’s the message from Charnwood Borough Council as it launches a campaign to support local high streets.

The Council, and partners, are calling on people to support their local high streets and reassure them that significant steps have been taken to ensure visitors are safe when shopping in the borough.

High streets have extra signage to remind people of the need for social distancing, barriers have been installed around Loughborough town centre to help with queuing and local businesses have introduced their own measures to ensure they are complying with the latest Covid-19 guidance.

Extra cleaning is also taking place in some areas and pubs, cafes and restaurants have introduced a range of measures including test and trace.

Over the coming months the Shop Safe, Shop Local campaign will be highlighting the steps taken to ensure our local high streets are safe places to visit. They are not only safe, but also great places to visit for shopping, eating and going out.

Cllr Shona Rattray, the Council’s lead member for business support, said: “Our high streets in Charnwood need your support more than ever.

“They have been hit hard in recent months and as we continue to emerge from the pandemic we need to help them as much as we can so the Council, and its partners, will be issuing a rallying call to get out there and Shop Safe, Shop Local.

“We will be highlighting what we have done and are doing to make high streets safe places. We will also be shining a spotlight on the local businesses who have also had to rapidly adapt to operate in a Covid-19 world to look after their customers and staff.

“We are very much in this together.

“I would encourage people to support the Shop Safe, Shop Local campaign by making the effort to visit their local stores and see what they have to offer.

“The pandemic has helped remind us that we can live life more locally and there is nothing wrong with that.

“Shoppers also need to play a part by not only visiting the local high streets but by making sure they follow the guidance on social distancing, regular hand washing and wearing a face covering if they can in shops.”

As part of the Shop Safe, Shop Local campaign the Council will be adding more signage to shopping areas, highlighting what businesses are doing to look after customers and staff and reminding people of the latest advice and guidance on shopping safely.

The campaign is borough wide as Charnwood has many shopping areas including in Loughborough, Shepshed, Thurmaston, Syston, Birstall, Anstey, Quorn, Mountsorrel, Barrow upon Soar and Newtown Linford. All will feature in the Shop Safe, Shop Local spotlight.

It follows the Council’s successful Charnwood inBusiness campaign which featured more than 150 businesses who took the opportunity of a free advert in the local media as well as being showcased on the Council’s digital channels. The campaign aimed to help companies connect with customers.

The Shop Safe, Shop Local campaign is funded thanks to the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund which is support by the European Regional Development Fund.

The campaign is also being supported by Love Loughborough. Lisa Brown, Love Loughborough manager, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Shop Safe, Shop Local campaign.

“There are a host of fantastic businesses out there who have adapted amazingly well to the new world we operate in and we would like to make sure people know how safe our high streets are. Nothing is more important than everyone’s health and safety but we also need to look after the local economy and that can start by making sure people feel comfortable in their local high streets. You can Shop Safe, Shop Local in Charnwood.”

The Council and Love Loughborough have also worked together to issued guidance and support to local businesses for both safeguarding their staff and ensuring customer safety.

For more information on the campaign, please visit www.charnwood.gov.uk/shopsafeshoplocal.