The District Council is working to support businesses as our high streets reopen. We are currently developing a number of schemes that we hope will attract local trade back into our towns and enable customers to shop safely and responsibly.
Identifying potential for highways improvements
We have employed highway consultants to examine areas that may present a challenge for social distancing, such as narrow pavements and access routes that may be pinch points in our larger towns and in Bourton-on-the-Water where visitor numbers are presenting challenges. Together with the County Council we will seek to identify any practical temporary solutions that can be put in place to make shopping both safer and a more pleasant experience whilst some restrictions remain in place.
We will identify practical highway solutions that can be achieved in short time frames. We will review the impact of any measures we are able to put in place and will also continue to consider any further measures that may be beneficial over the coming weeks and months so arrangements are likely to change over time. We are hopeful that some of these changes may indicate that there could be permanent improvements made to the pedestrian and cycle access to our towns and villages.
We are asking businesses to complete an online survey to inform this piece of highways work. The survey can be accessed via the following QR code or link:
We would really appreciate your support in encouraging businesses to complete this survey.
Business support pack
We are also putting together a support pack for reopening businesses, which will contain the following:
- a letter with useful information and links to key guidance on safely reopening.
- a checklist to help them ensure they have complied with health, food and safety requirements.
- Social distancing floor stickers (3 per business) which have a unique Cotswold design.
- posters which businesses can display limiting the number of customers at any one time.
- a poster with a map to signpost customers to the nearest public conveniences and hand washing facility.
- a Government compliance poster.
We expect to have the packs ready to start distributing by hand from Wednesday next week. We will also make all printable materials available on our website for download. Some of our district councillors and our officers will be delivering them to high street businesses in our towns that receive walk in customers, which will include shops, cafes, estate agents etc. It is likely that larger companies such as supermarkets and banks will already have access to corporate products to support them so we want to target our support at smaller shops that do not have this help.
If you become aware of any businesses that do not receive a pack but would like one they can request a pack via the following email address: High.Streets@cotswold.gov.uk
Continued support and advice
We will continue to engage with you as we work on Recovery over the coming months. Whilst our current focus is on reopening the high streets safely, we hope to work with businesses to support them in building their resilience, attracting trade and adapting business models so that they are sustainable during the pandemic and resilient for the future. We are encouraging businesses to sign up to the Councils weekly Business Matters newsletter so that we can keep them informed of support and information for businesses. Businesses can sign up on the Councils website using this link (please scroll to the bottom of the webpage) which will be included in the business support pack.
https://www.cotswold.gov.uk/business-and-licensing/coronavirus-business-and-licensing/
Thank you for your support with this valuable work.
Kind Regards
Claire
Claire Locke
Group Manager – Commissioning