Cornwall Council is to receive £509,639 from the £50million Reopening High Streets Safely Fund to help it introduce a range of safety measures in a move to get people back to work and customers back to the shops.
To prepare for the reopening of non-essential retail when the scientific advice allows, the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund will help councils in England introduce a range of safety measures in a move to kick-start local economies, get people back to work and customers back to the shops.
It will also support a range of practical safety measures including new signs, street markings and temporary barriers. This will help businesses get ready for when they can begin trading safely, not only in high streets and town and city centres, but also in other public spaces like beachfronts and promenades.
Councils will also be able to use this money to develop local marketing campaigns to explain the changes to the public and reassure them that their high streets and other commercial areas are safe.
Commenting, St Austell and Newquay MP Steve Double said:
“I welcome Cornwall Council’s allocation of this new money, which will support practical measures so businesses in Cornwall can re-open quickly when the guidance changes, staff can get back to work and customers return to shops confident it is safe.”
“I hope they will be able to use it to quickly allow high streets in communities across Cornwall to put the measures in place they need to reopen quickly and safely when the time is right to do so.”
It is the government’s ambition to reopen non-essential retail in a phased way from 1 June, subject to the scientific advice. The government will set out further detail on how and when these can reopen safely shortly.