Shoppers urged ‘keep left’ as lockdown eases
Bernadette Chappell, who has spent £1,500 on social distancing measures to keep her staff and customers safe at Deck of Cards, in King's Lynn Picture: Chris Bishop - Credit: Archant
Shoppers will have to keep to the left and keep their distance when many of a town’s shops reopen on Monday.
Graham Middleton, West Norfolk council's cabinet member for business in South Clough Lane, King's Lynn, where a perspex screen is being installed to help people socially distance Picture: Chris Bishop - Credit: Archant
Businesses in King’s Lynn are looking forward to welcoming customers back on Monday as so-called non-essential retailers are allowed to resume trading.
But measures are in place to minimise the risk of spreading the coronavirus as lockdown eases.
A screen is being installed down the middle of South Clough Lane, a busy cut-through between the High Street and two of the town’s main car parks, to keep people apart.
MORE - What will the new normal look like when the shops reopen?Graham Middleton, West Norfolk council’s cabinet member for business, said: “The idea will be keep to the left coming into the town and keep to the left going out.
Warning signs have appeared around an almost deserted King's Lynn town centre, where so-called non-essential shops are set to reopen on Monday, June 15 Picture: Chris Bishop - Credit: Archant
“We’ve got a range of things, we’ve got stickers going down later, a lot of fencing for queues and shops, but the main message is stick to the left, think about others and be considerate.” Mr Middleton said traders were optimistic that customers would return after almost three months of lockdown.
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“But obviously a lot’s going to depend on people coming into town and supporting them,” he said.
Street rangers Michael Smith and Luciano Santos were out delivering posters to shops to help enforce social distancing.
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“We’ve been giving them some posters and all the support they need,” said Mr Smith. “If they do have a problem they’ve got a number to call and we’ll do our best to help them.”
Deck of Cards, on the High Street in King's Lynnt, is one of many indepndent traders who will be reopening on Monday, June 15 Picture: Chris Bishop - Credit: Archant
MORE - Hunstanton mayor’s plea to residents: Go localBernadette Chappell has spent £1,500 on safety measures to protect her customers and staff at Deck of Cards on the High Street.
She has put up perspex screens to separate people entering and leaving, along with a one-way system.
“Every one who comes in our shop must use our hand sanitiser before they come in,” she said. “We’ve got 2m markings throughout the shop, we’re going to have both our front doors open, the two back doors will be open but they’ll be no entry, so we’ll have lots of airflow coming in.”
