Burnham-On-Sea town centre will be ready to safely re-open for shoppers when the Government’s Covid restrictions are lifted this Spring, the Town Council has said this week.
Temporary road closures that were put in place in the town centre last summer to encourage social distancing – despite opposition from some shops owners – won’t be returning this year, councillors have decided this week.
The council will, however, provide public hand sanitisation stations in Burnham High Street and it will continue to encourage shops and shoppers to stay safe and abide by guidelines.
At a virtual meeting of the council this week, Cllr Andy Hodge, chair of the Town Improvements Committee, said he has spoken to businesses and Burnham Chamber of Trade to assess the readiness to re-open in line with the dates announced by Boris Johnson.
Cllr Hodge said: “Our current position this year is very different to where we were this time last year as we were going into the pandemic.”
“There’s a much wider understanding today and a much better employment of mask wearing, hand sanitisation and the need for social distancing.”
“There’s improved knowledge out there too, driven by science, and this surrounds the reduced transmission of the virus in external environments. This has formed the initial steps of the government’s roadmap to recovery outlined by the Prime Minister last week.”
“This all suggests that we will see, as part of the Government’s roadmap, social distancing restrictions lifted before the main summer period if – and there’s still a ‘big if’ – it all goes to plan.”
“We have reached out to business stakeholder groups such as the Chamber of Trade and retailers and they have all indicated that the High Street will re-open in line with the Government roadmap. They will follow guidelines to provide safe shopping environments inside stores.”
“At this stage there appears to be no desire or reason to make any significant changes to the High Street, so my proposal therefore is that we continue at this stage with reinforcing the messaging in line with the government recommendations and provide the sanitisation stations in the High Street.”
He added: “I would like to suggest that we delegate this matter to the Town Improvements Committee so that if we face any new threats – from variants or a resurgence of the virus – we can be proactive and the committee will then review and revise the situation if required.”
Cllr Peter Clayton responded: “I am more than happy to second that. I think it’s a very sensible approach.”
Cllr Janet Keen added: “I would echo and that and would be glad to support it.”
Mayor Cllr Mike Facey, adding that “we do take this very seriously,” thanked Cllr Hodge for his work on the issue before a vote was taken. Councillors unanimously agreed the proposal.
