Shop owners in Hinckley town centre are gearing up to reopen next month.
New safety measures in public areas will include pavement signage , banners, hand sanitiser stations, and stewards to help and advise shoppers.
Guidance will also be available for shops to keep ‘Covid-compliant’.
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council is working with Hinckley BID to get businesses ready to relaunch as the Government has said that retail and shops can reopen from June 15.
Council leader Stuart Bray said: “For everyone emerging from lockdown it is going to be a learning process.
“As things unfold, we will all need to change our processes and our shopping and town centres are no different.
“Our approach currently is based on trusting people to follow the social distancing guidance and highlighting the safeguards that need to be in place to protect our residents, visitors and businesses.
“We will be reviewing how the first few days go and if we need to review and change our plans we will do.
“We will do whatever we can to make sure our borough is safe.
“We do however need our residents to play their part; follow the guidelines and consider carefully and plan their shopping to ensure their safety and the safety of others.”
Furniture and homeware store Jaspers on Castle Street is to reopen on Monday June 1.
Director Gareth Hancock said they have been busy getting ready since the Government guidance changed.
He said: “We have been preparing for two weeks, gearing up since it became apparent that we could reopen as a homeware shop.
“We started to make proper plans with sanitising and deep cleaning.
“We have had the floors and surfaces everywhere deep cleaned, we have screens and protective equipment, we have had the staff in training.”
Jaspers owns the two-storey shop and rents part of the second floor to Cut Price Beds and to café Proppa Coffee, which will be open for takeaways only.
The store had some online sales during the lockdown but Gareth said that people like to come and try out sofa items and furniture before they buy them.
Gareth is hoping that people who have been using their time at home to redecorate could be looking for some new furnishings.
“We had a huge delivery in a couple of days ago to get us stocked up and ready to go”, he said.
“We have 70 to 80 sofas and sets ready to go. We have got all sorts of furniture and homeware, from lamps and vases to kitchenware.
“Also lots of decorative items, clocks, mirrors, wall hangings, items that are quite quirky.”
The business has not been able to secure any Government grants so far because of its size.
Gareth works at the store with several other members of his family.
He said: “When this first hit, it was very concerning. We have put our whole livelihoods into this place. It’s all privately owned.
“Hopefully people have the confidence to come in.
“With the hand sanitiser and masks, they should feel safe. Keeping our distance is at the forefront.
“It’s going to be safer than going to the supermarkets.”
Jaspers will be open on Mondays and Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by appointment only.
Steve Wegerif, director of Hinckley BID, said: “Throughout the pandemic we have been working to help support the businesses in our area and as our town centre starts to slowly re-open it is our priority to support them during this ‘new normal’.
“There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on to enable the town to reopen safely, all part of a borough-wide recovery strategy.”
A list of Hinckley town centre shops that are open is available here .
