Biggleswade residents urged to shop local to help high street bounce back after lockdown

Shops now have social distancing measures and PPE in place, and hope that the influx of customers won’t just be a flash in the pan.

The Biggleswade Chronicle spoke to four shopkeepers on the week on June 15 to see how trade was faring, with the business owners delighted to see residents once again.

Carol Sanders, manager of Shoeco Ltd, on the High Street, said: “The mornings have been pretty busy. Everyone is pleased to come out for a wander and for a change of scenery. We have had to change our shop around with two-metre social distancing arrows, and chairs all two metres away from each other.

“We have hand sanitiser and socklets [pop socks for trying on shoes].

“People can either take them home with them or dispose of them and sanitise their hands.

“After shoes have been tried on, they will be put on a quarantine rack for 24 hours, sprayed and then put back out.

“But we have lots of spares of the same size. We got all our summer stock in just before the lockdown.”

Carol has been pleased to see her customers again after three months, and hopes that when the hospitality sector opens it will encourage more customers into the centre.

Meanwhile, along the road in Snappy Snaps, Semeena, store owner, said: “It’s been quite steady the whole week. People are coming in and they are glad to be out and enjoying the whole experience of shopping again. We were always offering online services [during lockdown] but it’s nice to have that feeling of ‘Oh, I haven’t seen you for a while’. Our customers are like our family.”

Snappy Snaps has hand sanitiser for the public, a perspex screen at the till, and two metre signs, while staff will be using the touch screens instead of shoppers.

Semeema added: “We would like to say thank you to our customers for distancing, and for being so understanding.”

At Mr Bransons menswear shop, owner Richard Cowles, said: “This week has been good so far, we have done very well, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

“A lot of our regulars came in and wanted stuff; obviously they’ve not been able to come out and get anything.

“We’ve got hand sanitiser, a one-way system, and signs up. People aren’t allowed to try on clothes, but hopefully that will come in time.”

Richard is urging the public to keep on shopping and supporting independent traders on the high street, and he told the Chronicle if he didn’t have his online business the shop would not survive.

He added: “Since the retail park opened 18 months ago, footfall has noticeably dwindled.”

Tracey Jane, owner of Tracey Jane Fashion and its sister events company, Lady Jane, agrees that the community needs to rally round the high street to help it recover.

She said: “I think some businesses are going to struggle, whereas others have done really well during the lockdown. It’s a mixed bag.

“We need independent shops around otherwise there’ll be nothing left but great big companies.

“My grandfather was in the town for 50 years selling flowers in the middle of the market square. I grew up in this town and used to have my own business selling clothes on the market. It’s about keeping it traditional.”

Tracey said she enjoys giving back to the community, as she holds school prom fashion shows free of charge, with the schools able to donate their ticket money to a cause of their choice.

Meanwhile, in her the High Street shop there is now hand santiser, screens and social distancing measures in place for clients.