With all non-essential shops ordered to close and people following advice to stay at home, our town centres are ghostly quiet as shopper numbers drop and retailers close their doors – hair, beauty and nail, gyms, gift shops, cafes and bars and others that make up our diverse town centres are closed with no idea of when business can resume.
It is good to know that community spirit still exists though as many rally round in the face of the biggest public health crisis for a generation with offers to help those most at risk and individuals and local businesses going above and beyond the call of duty. Falkirk Delivers staff are working diligently to provide last minute support to those businesses still operating such as Fork & Mustard who are working to provide healthy food to essential retailers still operating in the town and Café Nero, Greggs, Bayne’s are ensuring they lend a hand before they close by donating their unused food to support the cause.
Falkirk Delivers Safebase, Co-ordinator Richard McLennan, is working with support services to ensure that vulnerable residents in the town get essential supplies. Working with local pharmacies and food banks to ensure repeat prescriptions and food parcels are delivered to those in need and nobody goes without. Richard says “we have a great team of local volunteers working to help out in this difficult time.”
Meanwhile, Falkirk Delivers continues to be the main point of contact and continues to work with partners to help business owners to navigate through these uncertain times with live on-line updates, telephone support and advice on accessing financial support all designed to help them through this outbreak.
Elaine Grant, Falkirk Delivers Manager said: “We are working directly with Falkirk council, local businesses, support services and town centre residents to help them take advantage of the support that is out there. I urge all businesses across the area to take full advantage of the support that is available — this is, as you can imagine, still a work in progress; it’s very new territory for all of us.” She went on to say “It’s important to mention that I am overwhelmed by the incredible community spirit that I am witnessing at the moment – including business who were once competitors now working together for the common good – it’s very heartwarming!”
Businesses are urged to check out the Councils website for up to date information on all support on issues relating to job retention, town centre and tourism business and business rates. The information can be found using the following link:-
https://www.falkirk.gov.uk/covid19/support-for-business.aspx
