New team wants your views about Reopening your High Street Safely
Scheme launched to revive retail centres around Eastleigh Borough
A new scheme has been launched to revive retail centres around Eastleigh Borough. It is appealing for shoppers, residents and businesses to get in touch as part of the effort to resume trading when the local economy emerges from the latest COVID restrictions.
The #ReopeningHighStreetsSafely team welcomes feedback from shoppers, residents and business-operators about any of their experiences. This information will help with planning the revival of retail centres as we emerge from lockdown.
Shoppers, residents and business-operators from Hedge End, West End, Chandler’s Ford, Botley and Hamble, in addition to the town centre, are welcomed to get in touch about their experiences including operating safely during lockdown, future innovation and local community regeneration.
The team will also visit high streets to engage in a safe and socially distanced way with residents and local businesses when possible, or via online consultation, working with local partners including Town and Parish Councils and community groups.
Eastleigh Borough Council has been awarded over £118,000 of government funding from the European Regional Development Fund (RDF) to support the safe reopening of its high streets and other commercial and retail centres across the Borough.
This funding also supports practical measures so businesses can re-open quickly when permitted, people can get back to work and customers can return to shops completely confident that it is safe to do so.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Councillor Derek Pretty, said: “Supporting businesses and protecting jobs is one of the Council’s key aims. The high streets in our towns and villages are at the heart of our local economy and the Council will do all we can to help them recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have been successful in channelling funds to businesses during the successive coronavirus lockdowns and we urge Borough high street businesses to get in touch to help us to help them with this new funding”.
Business owners, residents and visitors can respond by email to the Reopening High Streets Safely team at RHSS@eastleigh.gov.uk.