Penzance is getting ready to welcome shoppers back to its town centre.
Penzance is getting ready to welcome shoppers back to its town centre, with local organisations working together to ensure that shops and businesses are ready to re-open safely in two weeks time – and YOU can help make it happen.
With many more non-essential shops due to re-open on 15 June as part of the Government’s plans to further ease the lockdown, Penzance has set up a special Covid Recovery Group to ensure that its town centre meets the new social distancing guidelines being put in place to protect shoppers and workers.
The group, which includes representatives from Penzance Business Improvement District (BID), Safer Penzance, Police, Penzance Council and Cornwall Council, and Penzance and District Tourism Association (PDTA), have spent the past few weeks drawing up detailed plans to cover everything from developing one way systems on pavements and walkways to support safe social distancing, to identifying safe customer waiting spaces for click and collect and areas where people can queue while waiting to enter individual shops.
Add in the need for public toilets to be safely re-opened, new street cleansing procedures and lots and lots of signs, flags, posters and floor stickers encouraging people to follow social distancing guidance – and it is easy to see why the group have been so busy.
“Penzance has a fantastic range of independent shops and we can’t wait to welcome shoppers back into our town centre “ said Penzance BID Manager Jess Morris. “We recognise that the social distancing means that the shopping experience will feel a little different but we are all working very hard to ensure that our customers feel confident and safe about coming back and supporting their town centre”.
One of the most challenging tasks facing the town is managing social distancing within our streets, along the terrace and busy pedestrian junctions such as the Wharfside and marketplace by Lloyds Bank. To help make this work the group are looking for people to be volunteer stewards to support shoppers during the first few weeks of the new system.
“We are looking for people to join the team to help bring Penzance back, so that they can help shoppers to navigate the town easily and safely and ensure that the town can open for business gradually and safely for all who live, work and shop in it” said Councillor Nicole Broadhurst, the Mayor of Penzance.
“We will be drawing up a rota so volunteers will be able to pick the shifts which fit in with their commitments. We will also provide online training and equipment, including high vis jackets and personal protective equipment if appropriate”.
Anyone who is interested in becoming a volunteer steward is asked to send their details to Penzance Council at [email protected]
