High street safety measures to be rolled out after Harrogate council given £140k

To prepare for the reopening of non-essential shops on June 15, the government’s £50million Reopening High Streets Safely Fund will help councils in England introduce new safety measures, such as signs, street markings and temporary barriers.

The government hopes this will help to restart local economies, get people back to work and customers back to the shops.

Councils will also be able to use this money to develop marketing campaigns to explain the changes to the public and reassure them that their high streets are safe.

It comes after temporary parking restrictions were introduced in Harrogate town centre to create more space for social distancing.

The measures were met with mixed reactions from shoppers and businesses.

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On Sunday, the Prime Minister announced new plans to reopen all non-essential shops in England on June 15.

Boris Johnson said shops will be able to open if they meet safety guidelines.

Outdoor markets and car showrooms will be allowed to reopen from June 1.

High Streets Minister Simon Clarke MP said the funding for councils would support the effort to ensure a safe reopening.

He said: “As we begin to slowly return to normality, the re-opening our high streets will be key to kick-starting our economic recovery.

“Levelling up the regions and supporting our high streets has always been central to the mission of this government.

“Many businesses have already introduced creative ways of trading such as contactless collection or taking orders by instant messaging and shows that they are ready for the challenges ahead.

“That’s why we are providing an extra £50million for councils to support a range of safety measures that will help get these businesses back on track and ensure that people can enjoy their time visiting their local high street safely again.”

Harrogate Borough Council has been allocated £141,714 from the fund.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter

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