SHOPPING is safe – and the borough’s shops and businesses are fantastic places to find everything you need, even during a pandemic.
Coronavirus has seen many changes to way in which we live, from hand washing to social distancing.
But one thing that hasn’t is our need to buy things.
That lockdown period saw many of us stay at home, but things have changed since March. We now know more about the virus and how to contain it – and we’re learning more every day.
The government has introduced a range of measures across the board to ensure that retail premises can reopen safely, and people can shop with confidence.
This includes wearing face coverings, asking people in licensed premises to order from a table, and asking people to use the NHS Test and Trace app to check-in at venues.
Stores will be offering their own measures too. It’s become a familiar sight to see people queuing to get into supermarkets and shops. By limiting numbers it’s easier to keep a distance from others not in your bubble.
And there’s also the opportunity to use call and collect services, meaning that purchases can be prepared in advance of your arrival.
The message is essentially that shops are safe to use and we shouldn’t be afraid to use them.
Wokingham borough is blessed with three great retail centres – Woodley precinct, Wokingham town centre and Twyford village. There are also many retailers dotted around from garden centres to industrial estates. Whatever you need, it’s on your doorstep.
In Wokingham, if you need your tech gadgets repaired, be it a mobile phone screen that’s cracked or a laptop battery gone wrong, then Pratts Pods is the place to head. It’s one of the new businesses to open in Elms Walk, close to Elms Field.
If you need something printed, want to call on the specialist knowledge of a graphic designer, or need some paper supplies, then Jays Printers in Denmark Street can help.
Sometimes people say there’s no clothes shops in Wokingham – they’re wrong. Purple Butterfly, on Denmark Street, specialises in French and Italian fashion at affordable prices and with Covid-secure procedures to make browsing a pleasure.
And when you’ve shopped till you’ve dropped, a visit to Ruchetta in Rose Street will ensure you can enjoy a meal, recharge those batteries and unwind. They’re even offering £10 discount per person if you use the coupon on this page.
Woodley has a host of businesses to consider.
Pawsome Dogs is in Headley Road and has a deluxe grooming spa ensuring your pampered pooch can be pampered even more.
If you’ve been looking at your garden in recent weeks and think that it’s gained its own version of lockdown pounds, then call Samscapes. They offer landscaping services, fencing and tree surgery – everything you need to give your garden a makeover.
At the start of lockdown, MoTs were suspended but now they’re needed again. Hicks MoT & Service Centre in Headley Road can help, services include a free local pick-up service, servicing and tyres for all makes and models. It’s been operating for a long time, so you can trust it.
Woodley Goldsmiths at the other end of the shopping precinct is the place to spoil yourself, or find that perfect gift for a loved one. Watches, rings, jewellery and more, all from big names. They can also design to your requirements.
One of the newest businesses to open is Derma Reading – look out for more on them next week – they are there to help with all skincare matters from acne, eczema, moles, stretch marks and wrinkles. Its full body mole mapping can help catch skin cancer at the early stages. It has opened in Shepherds Hill.
McEvoy & Rowley have been part of Woodley for more than 50 years. They sell all kinds of white goods for the home: cookers, washing machines and more. They can also arrange for a Quooker tap to be installed for instant boiling water.
Inner Beauty is based at Woodford Park Leisure Centre and is a salon offering massages, facials, aromatherapy, face painting, and even pamper parties. They are offering readers a 10% discount to give the services a try.
And shopping is hard work. Our virtual tour of Woodley ends as it should do – with a decent cuppa. Crumbs offers both hot drinks and a bite to eat. Based opposite Lidl, the café specialises in local, freshly prepared food for everyone to enjoy.
We’ll drink to that.
