Safely re-opening our retail centres

As many more businesses and non-essential retailers begin to re-open on Monday, please help us to keep our high street healthy.

We’re looking forward to welcoming people back to our many retail centres and businesses have been working hard to take the necessary steps to safely reopen.

New queuing systems and ways of working will be in place so please allow extra time for your shopping trip and be considerate to fellow shoppers and staff.

There are also a few things you can do to help reduce the transmission of coronavirus and aid the road to recovery:

• Stay home if you feel unwell or have been in contact with another person within the last 14 days who is positive for coronavirus
• Regularly wash your hands and when you get home or use hand sanitizer when out and about
• Plan your journey in advance by checking the shops you want to visit are open and the procedures they have in place. Be prepared to queue
• Keep left when walking through public areas
• Give everyone space and socially distance
• Use a cashless method of payment if you can
• Only pick things up that you are going to buy
• Cycle and walk if you can. If you have to drive, use the Ringgo method to pay for parking
• If you’re using public transport, it will be a requirement from June 15 that you wear a face covering, with certain exceptions.

With the circumstances being new to us all, we’d ask for your continued patience as we all adapt to these new ways of working.

We have been working closely with the local Business Improvement Districts and other key partners to ensure retail centres are safe places to visit.

Additional cleansing will take place within the town centres and ‘touch points’ such as benches, to maintain hygiene.

Council officers will also be out and about from next week, visiting businesses to gather contact information and carry out a brief “health check” to see how they are coping and to offer specific advice.

As our centres get progressively busier we will introducing new advisory signage.  We are continuing to work with Lancashire County Council to introduce additional measures where necessary to increase pedestrian and cycling space.

Please continue to follow our social media channels for updates, as well as our dedicated page Lancaster.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Last updated: 13 June 2020