Stockport reopens to shoppers

As the Government further eased out of the coronavirus enforced lockdown, non-essential retailers in Stockport have been allowed to reopen their shops and welcome back customers, so long as all mandatory measures have been implemented to keep everyone safe.

As visitors returned to get a much-missed retail fix, orderly queues formed outside many of the shops both in the town centre and across the district centres where social distancing was respected.

Signage on pavements and one-way systems put in place to help shoppers maintain a safe two-metre distance away from one-another while walking around, with queues at shop entrances to limit customer numbers. BID Company, Totally Stockport, has provided shops in Stockport Town Centre with hand sanitiser for customers to use.

To further help shoppers and retail staff in Stockport stay safe, customers are also asked to pay by contactless or mobile payments as much as possible, and avoid touching items that will not be purchased. Payment limits on contactless transactions have been increased to £45 in most retailers.

BID manager at Totally Stockport, Paul Taylor, took a trip into Stockport town centre, and produced a short video of the changes that have been put in place to keep shoppers safe as retailers reopen:

Further safety measures have also been but in place at the Merseyway shopping precinct as retailers reopen. Hourly disinfecting of touchpoints has been introduced, with hand sanitiser dispensers installed throughout the centre; walkways are being kept free of displays to make it as easy as possible for shoppers to keep their distance; and customer toilets facilities will be limited to a maximum of four people at any one time. Shoppers are also being discouraged from using the lifts where possible, as only a maximum of two people at a time from the same household can safely use them.

Victoria Nichol, Merseyway Centre Manager said:

“We’re delighted more of our stores have now reopened and it’s been great to see our local community back at the centre. Our priority is to ensure a safe environment for our shoppers and colleagues and we have implemented a number of changes including increased cleaning, the introduction of hand sanitisers and social distancing measures and limiting the capacity of our toilets and lifts. During this first week of opening more fully, our customers have been incredibly supportive and respectful of these measures. To help our shoppers before they visit us, we’ve also launched a Plan Your Visit guide which is downloadable from the Merseyway website and provides information on the measures we have put in place, how our visitors can help us keep the centre safe along with information on parking and use of facilities at the centre.”