Arun prepares to open for business | Latest news

Webchat

Arun prepares to open for business

Arun prepares to open for business

Preparing to open With more shops set to reopen on 15 June, Arun is working hard to ensure that both shoppers and shop staff are kept safe.

The work to get our town centres and shopping areas back up and running safely is being carried out by Arun District Council in partnership with Bognor Regis BID and the Town Councils.

The agencies are working together to encourage and support reopening businesses, including by circulating links to relevant government guidance and advising retailers how to operate safely.

A range of measures will be provided in Arun’s town centres and shopping areas, including, ‘Stay Safe’ signage, additional Business Warden support and consideration of temporary road closures to provide safe walking routes.

This will be reinforced with marketing campaigns and funding allocations to Town and Parish councils so that they can provide measures in their shopping areas.

The focus is on creating as much clear, safe walking space as possible to enable people to make good choices about social distancing. For this reason, there will not be any dividing lines or barriers in the pedestrian areas of town centres. 

Before the next phase of shops reopening, social distancing reminders will appear in the town centres and shopping areas. They will include floor markings and signage reminding people to keep their distance, and in the pedestrian precincts they will encourage people to stay to the left in an informal one-way system.

The work will be aided by a £143,718 government grant from the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund, launched recently to help councils to support businesses as they re-open. The funding is from the European Regional Development Fund via the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government.

Councillor Dr James Walsh, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy said: “Arun District Council is working in partnership to support social distancing in our town centres to keep the public safe as lockdown is eased, and ahead of the proposed re-opening of non-essential shops on 15 June.

“Whilst it is up to all of us to stay safe and alert to prevent the spread of Covid-19, these measures will give shoppers clear guidance of safe distances and remind them that it’s still essential for their health and that of others that they follow the guidelines.

“We are eager to get our local businesses open again to boost the local economy, so it’s vital that these social distancing measures are put in place to ensure that everyone can shop safely.”

The safe shopping messages will be shared across social media channels and will feature on the websites of the partners involved, as well as in the regular Arun District Council email e-newsletter which can be signed up to by following this link https://www1.arun.gov.uk/register-news-updates

Residents should visit Arun District Council’s dedicated Covid-19 page for full up-to-date information at https://www.arun.gov.uk/coronavirus