RESIDENTS are being encouraged to stay local and shop local as lockdown 3.0 gets underway.
Colin George, a member of Wokingham Business Association (WBA), is busy urging people to support Wokingham’s small and independent retailers over the coming months.
“If we don’t use them, we’ll lose them,” he warned. “So shop local if you can.
“If you can find a business online and get a delivery or do a click and collect — do it.”
Under the new coronavirus restrictions, many retailers and those in the hospitality and leisure industries must close, but may offer takeaway or delivery services where possible.
Mr George is now encouraging businesses to “explore and pull together their resources” to find safe ways of trading under the limitations.
The government has also announced it will be paying retail, hospitality and leisure businesses one-off grants worth up to £9,000 to help them survive until the spring.
In total, an extra £4.6 billion has been set aside to support businesses impacted by the pandemic.
But Mr George says that it’s vital businesses have customers too.
“I hope that everybody will keep supporting local traders as much as possible through this lockdown – they’re there for you so please use them.”
