It’s safe to shop, and where beמּer than local?

THE COUNCIL has installed new signs around the borough’s towns to encourage people to stay safe while shopping local.

The signs, which include reminders about Covid-19 safety will be dotted across Wokingham, Woodley and Twyford.

Cllr Charlotte Haitham Taylor, executive member for regeneration at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “Research shows that for every £10 spent in a local independent shop, up to £50 goes back into the local economy.

“Now more than ever it is critical that we support our local town and village shops – they’ve had a tough time for the last six months and it looks like we’re in it for the long haul.

“Use them or lose them, as the saying goes and we do not want to lose our wonderful local shops and businesses.

“We’ve continued to work closely with our local business associations and town centres to come up with a range of measures to help support our local businesses.

“As the latest part of this, we’re installing signs on the edges of our shopping centres to encourage residents to come back into our town and village centres and signs in the shopping districts reminding people about how to remain Covid secure.”

Once the signs are up, the council will be removing the remaining red and white traffic barriers in Wokingham town centre — which were originally installed to create more space for pedestrians to walk safely in town.

Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport, said: “Over the last few months we have monitored usage and believe now is the right time to remove the remaining barriers as feedback suggested that people were managing to socially distance without the additional space.

“To encourage more of our residents back into Wokingham, we are keen to return as much of the town centre back to two-lane traffic to provide additional capacity.

“This follows the successful removal of the barriers in Rectory Road and Broad Street over the last month.”