Support on offer for businesses to safely reopen

With many retail stores preparing to open their doors next week, Lancaster City Council is on hand to support them with their preparations.

From Monday (June 15) more businesses and non-essential retailers will be allowed to reopen as part of the government’s road to recovery.

To help them to do so safely, Lancaster City Council has developed a package of measures so business owners have the confidence to reopen in a manner that is safe not only for customers, but for their staff and themselves.

The council has uploaded a collection of documents to its website on the safety measures that need to be in place, including guidance on queue management and a coronavirus risk assessment.

There are also details of grants on offer, general business support and specific advice for food businesses.
 
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.

Councillor Tim Hamilton-Cox, cabinet member with responsibility for sustainable economic prosperity, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on retailers and the business community as a whole.

“With more now preparing to open we want to be able to support them to do so in a way that ensures everyone remains safe. We've had a number of discussions with the Lancaster and Morecambe Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) about re-opening and the council has access to limited external funding to pay for measures that enable safe trading in public places."

Discussions are also ongoing with traders on Lancaster’s Charter Market as to how it can reopen safely, taking into account the government’s current guidelines, with the ambition to get it up and running as soon as possible.

The advice and guidance for businesses can be found on the city council’s website at Lancaster.gov.uk/coronavirus or by contacting econdev@lancaster.gov.uk.

• This project is receiving up to £128,905 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.  

Last updated: 11 June 2020