Originally written by Chris Giddins on Small Business
With the Government announcing that shops will be allowed to open from June 15, small shops across the country have been thinking through what to do post coronavirus.
In the face of an incredibly tough retail environment and consumer habits still far from “normal”, reserves of ingenuity and grit will be required. As plans are put together, there are a range of key considerations that businesses must consider in order to re-open safely and successfully.
It won’t be business as usual
We know that the way businesses operate must change. With new Government regulations released on how retailers must keep their stores COVID-19 free, including strict cleaning and hygiene guidelines and advice on keeping the two-metre distance rule, the number one priority for everyone is people’s safety.
But as business owners adapt their stores and consumer shopping habits change, the way we buy will change and it won’t necessarily be for the better.
Without innovation, the experience of visiting your local store will be a tedious process of long queues to stare at products through Perspex screens. This crisis requires creative solutions from retailers to bring back the sense of community, excitement and enjoyment that the high street

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