“In a way it’s almost an old fashioned service, where someone comes to the counter and we do all the fetching and carrying”, explains Martin Ragget from Allen’s Ironmongers in Tadcaster as he describes how the business has changed because of Coronavirus.

“We limit the number of customers coming in and there’s tape on the floor, so customers know where to stand. This just reassures them and reassures our staff”.

Allen’s Ironmongers is just one of many high street businesses across Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn-in-Elmet that have changed the way they work to keep customers and staff safe. During the initial lockdown, lots of people turned to their local businesses to help. 

Martin says people have been rediscovering the retailers on their doorstep, “We’ve seen a few new faces, which is great for us. We take telephone payments now – we’re doing a lot of ring and collect and ring and deliver where the customer pays over the phone and they just come to collect a carrier bag”.

As the local economy re-opens, Selby District Council is working alongside businesses to try to keep these customers coming back to local high streets by helping retailers to adapt to the ‘new normal’. By supporting our local high streets in Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn-in-Elmet we can all help our businesses to thrive into the future. That helps to support jobs and investment which will help the Selby district to recover from Coronavirus.

Find out more about local Coronavirus information online – selby.gov.uk.

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