Engaging with 1,100 businesses in Rhondda Cynon Taf town centres
Written by Gavin on 21st September 2020
Engaging with 1,100 businesses in Rhondda Cynon Taf town centres
The Council has engaged with 1,100 businesses in its eight town centres since face coverings became mandatory in shops across Wales last week – and generally received very positive feedback on the efforts to stop the virus spreading in retail areas.
Following a Welsh Government directive on September 14, which covered the whole of Wales, face coverings became mandatory in all indoor public spaces, including shops and supermarkets, unless there is a genuine reason or medical exemption for masks or coverings to not be worn.
The Council is also asking residents to volunteer to wear them appropriately in ALL crowded public spaces, including outdoor areas such as High Streets and outside of the school gates, and this is again where residents can safely and reasonably wear them.
Last week, Council officers visited local businesses in its eight town centres – Aberdare, Ferndale, Llantrisant, Mountain Ash, Pontypridd, Porth, Tonypandy and Treorchy – to reaffirm the importance of adhering to the latest guidance.
The visits provided an opportunity for traders to ask a range of questions about the latest guidance for face coverings, social distancing and hand hygiene. They were also provided with a public awareness poster to place in their windows to promote the mandatory wearing of face coverings at all times within their premises – aside from those people with medical exemptions.
Businesses can download the poster to create further copies on the Council’s website.
Councillor Robert Bevan, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Housing, said: “Coronavirus continues to present very difficult circumstances for businesses, who are trying to strike a balance between welcoming customers, gaining an income and boosting the economy – and keeping people safe as the most important priority. I’d like to thank Rhondda Cynon Taf traders for their continued efforts to promote social distancing and hand hygiene measures, which are key to stopping the virus.
“It was pleasing that the overall feedback received by officers from the 1,100 businesses across our eight town centres was very positive – and that they
particularly appreciated the ongoing support from the Council. Our Town Centres team will continue to work hard to keep local businesses up to date with latest guidance, and communicate what new measures need to be taken.
“Regular visitors to our town centres will now be familiar with the measures we have taken to promote and enable social distancing, while they Shop Local. These include one-way systems and markers for people to queue up outside shops, while staying 2-metres apart. More than 1,000 posters reminding people to wear a face mask inside shops have now been given to businesses, as we all aim to keep people safe while out and about in the County Borough.”