Supporting independent businesses
Monmouthshire County Council is working with local businesses to provide key advice, links and documents that will be helpful as they prepare for reopening. Links to essential documents include risk assessments, health and safety advice, as well as graphic files for downloadable posters, floor stickers and signage, and material to encourage everyone to Shop Local, Shop Monmouthshire, can all be found on this page.
The Shop Local, Shop Monmouthshire campaign is designed to celebrate Monmouthshire’s unique towns and villages, as they work to re-open and recover from the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown. Join in and work with us to help revitalise our town and village centres.
The information on these pages will be updated as the situation progresses, so if you don’t see everything you are looking for please check back or feel free to contact us if there is further information you would like us to consider uploading. Scroll down for some FAQs about reopening your business, and to find out more.
Government guidance
The latest guidance for hospitality businesses preparing to reopen has now been released by UKHospitality. For information about risk assessments and criteria that must be met before businesses can reopen, visit https://www.ukhospitality.org.uk/page/WalesGuidance
The latest advice on how your business can work safely during the coronavirus pandemic is available at https://gov.wales/coronavirus
The Health and Safety at Work Act means you are obliged to take reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of your employees, customers and visitors. Coronavirus is a risk to public health that must be managed in order to comply with the law.
Before reopening you MUST ensure the safety of your premises by following these five steps:
- carry out a coronavirus (Covid-19) risk assessment in line with HSE guidance https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/index.htm
- develop cleaning, hand washing and hygiene procedures
- take all reasonable steps to help people work from home
- take all reasonable steps to maintain two metre social distancing where possible
- where people cannot be two metres apart, do everything you can to manage risk
When you have completed these steps you should display a notice in your premises to show you have followed all the guidance.
Safety checklist for your premises
As part of our tooklkit we have created a checklist of practical measures to help control the risk from people visiting your premises. This is in addition to the guidance above, and does not exclude a risk assessment being carried out. The measures are not exhaustive but provide a starting point. It is important that any measures put in place are regularly checked to ensure your employees and customers understand and comply with them.
Measures are also being put in place by the Council outside shops and business premises to help maintain safe social distancing and help orderly queues.
Reopening resources
Our toolkit also includes resources to help you welcome customers back and communicate the necessary safety measures, including floor stickers, signage and posters.
Café Space applications for Hospitality Businesses to serve food and drink outdoors
Monmouthshire County Council is inviting local businesses that would like to serve food and drink in outside spaces to get in touch. In a move to further support the revitalisation of high streets, the council is behind plans to create a ‘Café Culture’ environment. For cafés, pubs and restaurants with limited outdoor space, this will give the opportunity to place tables and chairs outside where there is space to do so safely.
The first step will be for interested businesses to apply for CAFE SPACE permission via the MyMonmouthshire App, which can be found by clicking the icon on the bottom right hand side of this page. The online application form will ask for additional supporting information such as a sketch of the area required and evidence of public liability insurance.
Restaurants, cafés and pubs will need to consider the following points when applying:
- Is there sufficient pavement width outside the property to accommodate tables and chairs whilst still maintaining 1.5m clear space for pedestrians?
- How will social distancing be managed?
- Are there other outside spaces that can be considered as seating areas?
- Will the proposed location of tables and chairs affect existing access along the highway for pedestrians, cyclists and traffic?
- Does your proposal require closing off part or the whole of the road to through traffic, and if so what impact will this have?
For more advice and guidance:
Hospitality Businesses reopening – Frequently Asked Questions
Town Centre Outdoor Adaptation Grant
Funded through the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Programme, the grant will enable businesses to invest in external improvements and equipment such as outdoor seating, tables, awnings, barriers, planters, parklets, outdoor electric supply, lighting and heating.
It is intended that investment in measures such as these will enable businesses to trade outside not only throughout the remaining summer months but also into the winter season.
While it is expected that this grant scheme will appeal mainly to hospitality businesses, other town centre businesses who wish to create or improve outdoor trading space whilst enabling customers to safely maintain social distance, are invited to submit their proposals for consideration.
Applicants will need to meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme which can be found at www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/town-grants
In order to submit an application, business will need to demonstrate that their proposals are of a suitable high standard, comply with the statutory requirements and are ‘Covid secure’. Also that they possess a licence to trade in the space identified and have public liability insurance for such purposes.
Further information and guidance
- for the latest business advice, grant schemes and information please visit https://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/business-advice/
- for the latest government advice please visit the https://gov.wales/coronavirus
- the British Retail Consortium including USDAW (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) has recommended implementation practices for non-food retail stores https://brc.org.uk/wrc/
- the Health and Safety Executive has advice on social distancing, keeping businesses open and in-work activities https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/index.htm
- advice for food businesses, advice for consumers, bulk freezing of ambient and chilled foods, food safety for food delivery and food safety for community is available on the Food Standards Agency website https://www.food.gov.uk/
Caldicot Town Team have negotiated a printing deal with Kudos design in Chepstow who will print and produce a package of products including window stickers, A2/A1/A0 posters, etc. specifically for each town should you wish to arrange printing with them directly – KUDOS – 01291 444777 – info@kudoscompanies.co.uk. Or alternatively please feel free to use your own local designer.
*Update 28th July 2020: All public toilets are now open across Monmouth’s towns and larger villages. Air driers are not being used as a safety precaution, so please take hand sanitiser with you.
