On 4 January 2021, the Prime Minister announced a national lockdown and instructed people to stay at home to control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives. This is to help tackle the spread of coronavirus across England. The restrictions are expected to last until mid-February.
All non-essential retail, hospitality and personal care services must close, or remain closed. Restaurants can continue delivery, takeaway or click-and-collect of food and non-alcoholic drinks, but venues will no longer be able to serve takeaway or click-and-collect alcohol.
Read more about the restrictions in England here
Support for businesses
To help support businesses during this time, the Government have announced increased support for the self-employed as well as an extension to the Coronavirus job retention scheme.
We appreciate this is a difficult and uncertain time for high street businesses. The Reopening High Streets Safely Fund remains live, and we encourage you to contact our dedicated Information Officer with any questions or concerns at alan.smith@tda.uk.net.
Covid-19 Business Grants are now open for applications for eligible businesses in Torbay
Facebook group
A new Facebook group has been set up for independent high street businesses in Torbay. The aim of the Facebook group is to work collaboratively to ensure the safe opening of the high streets, share best practice and feedback and to help streamline communications.
Join the Torbay retailers Facebook group
Toolkits
The Better Business for All (BBfA) partnership COVID-19 Toolkits remain available for all businesses to use:
Advice for shoppers
From 5 January, hospitality and non-essential retail in England must close to help tackle the spread of coronavirus across England. The restrictions are expected to last until mid-February.
Restaurants and hospitality venues can continue delivery, takeaway or click-and-collect of food and non-alcoholic drinks, but venues will no longer be able to serve takeaway or click-and-collect alcohol.
Please remember if you are visiting the high street for essential purposes, you must adhere to the national health and safety guidance to help protect yourself and others.
This includes:
- Wearing a face covering inside any shop or business
- Maintaining a safe social distance from others
- Washing hands or using sanitizer frequently
- Using cashless payments when possible
We are encouraging people to continue to support local businesses by whatever means you are able to do so. If you can’t visit your local high street, consider buying through business’s websites or social media channels.
Hand stations
As part of the Reopening High Streets Safely Project, 12 hand sanitiser stations have been erected in Torbay high streets to help tackle the transmission of Covid-19. The stations are sensor operated, and filled with anti-Covid-19, alcohol free hand gel.
You can find these stations at the locations:
Brixham
Paignton
Torquay
Market Street (near public toilets)
The hand stations are temporary fixtures, and will be cleaned and replenished regularly. Please make use of these if you are shopping in Torbay high streets.
Other support
The coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown has put extra pressures on our businesses and our mental health and wellbeing.
We wanted to remind you that there are freely available mental health resources and toolkits to help you and your employees to look after yourself and to support each other during the processes of change and recovery from the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health teams will welcome feedback on the frequency of their use and usefulness to your businesses:
Crisis and suicidal thoughts
Mental health and problem debt
Self help and maintaining resilience
Additional information
- Read more about the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund
- Latest guidance on Coronavirus in Torbay
- See all new national measures announced here
Funded by the European Union European Regional Development Fund and HM Government
