Worthing shop owners prepare to welcome back customers

It comes after the Prime Minister announced that non-essential retailers could reopen from Monday, June 15.

Among those getting preparations in place to allow customers to shop safely is Alexander Scutt, who has run Type 40 Toys in Worthing’s Rowlands Road for 19 years.

He said the pandemic had affected businesses just as sales were beginning to pick up after winter. “The period after Christmas is always hard, we had just got past that,” he said.

Now after almost three months of being closed, he said it would be nice to welcome customers back – though a ‘bit strange’.

“I expect it will be a bit quiet to start with,” he said. “I’m just hoping people will come out and buy stuff.”

Mr Scutt was kindly given three months free rent from his landlord, but needs to get back to business, and will be putting a one in one out policy in place for people not from the same household in order to keep customers safe.

And though he can reopen, he said he might struggle to get new stock going forward as many of the auctions and toy fairs he usually sources items from will remain closed.

One long-term impact of the coronavirus may be that Mr Scutt rolls out an online service alongside the shop, something he has always resisted as he said: “I like people, I like the comraderie. If I’m buying something I like to see it, touch it.”

On whether the high street will be busy from next Monday, he said: “All we can do is keep our fingers crossed and see what happens.”

However he believes things could further improve during the summer if people are unable to go abroad.

More people might choose to visit Worthing, which he said was ‘a lovely place’. “It might force people to come to the seaside again,” he said.

Meanwhile in Adur, Lotty Ballantine has been busily adapting her baby and children’s clothing store, Lolly & Lelly, at Tarmount Studios in Shoreham.

Lotty had only opened the store in February before the pandemic forced her to shut with ‘quite a lot of tears’ just weeks later.

She said she was looking forward to reopening and getting some life back into the town centre, adding: “I’m just excited to see people again.”

In preparation, she has increased the floor space by a third and will allow just two people, or one family, to shop at a time.

She has installed hand sanitiser at the entrance and has spent the last few days busily disinfecting and cleaning every surface.

While she understood there might be a ‘nervousness’ among some shoppers, she said: “We’ve done everything we can to make the space as safe as possible.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming people back through the door.”

She said one positive outcome of the pandemic was that people had seen the value in shopping locally.

Lotty said Tarmount Studios was ‘the beating heart of independent Shoreham’, adding: “I think people are appreciating what we’ve got here.

“You can get something in Shoreham and avoid going to Brighton.

“I hope it will open people’s eyes up to the local community and to support eachother through these difficult times that we are all experiencing.”

Jane Mallet, who runs the emporium at the back of Tarmount Studios which hosts around 15 stalls selling vintage clothes, cards, pottery and more, is also hoping to reopen to customers on Monday.

She said it had been an ‘expensive time’ for her and the stall holders, and that they were ‘very excited’ to welcome customers back.

New safety measures in place include a screen at the till and hand sanitiser by the entrance.

While some apprehensive shoppers might stay away from the town centre at first, she said: “I think slowly the confidence will come back.”

Meanwhile the council has been working to make sure people can follow social distancing guidelines in our shopping districts.

Signs promoting one way walking routes and two-metre spacing have already been stencilled onto pavements and walkways.

In Worthing, temporary road closures are being sought in Portland Road, Montague Place and Montague Street West.

In Shoreham, these are being sought for East Street north and St Mary’s Road east in consultation with West Sussex County Council, which has responsibility for highways.

These measures, for a maximum of 18 months, are to ensure social distancing is still possible in tight spaces for pedestrians and cyclists – although allowances will be made for delivery vehicles.

The council’s Public Health and Regulation Team has been working closely with businesses to ensure a smooth reopening.

A government grant of £56,000 to Adur and £98,000 to Worthing under the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund will help pay for implementation of many of the measures.

So far six food and drink outlets have been given permission to sell alcohol as ‘off sales’, which means either as takeaway or within permissible outside areas such as beer gardens.

Another ten are working with officers from the councils to seek such permissions which could see more alfresco eating and drinking.

Discussions are underway with organisers and traders about the timing of the opening of open-air markets, with the farmers’ market at Shoreham July 11 likely to be the first up and running.

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “We are working hard with West Sussex County Council, the Town Centre Initiative and traders to help make visitors to the town centre feel comfortable coming back and thus happy to enjoy some time sampling the excellent retail and food and drink outlets we have to offer.

“This is about helping businesses get back on their feet while continuing to make everyone feel safe.”

His counterpart at Adur District Council, councillor Brian Boggis, said: “We want to be doing everything we can to create an environment where, on June 15, our traders can begin to rebuild their businesses but we need to do so while keeping everyone safe and well. These measures will achieve that balance.”

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