High Street Round up 43 High Street Round up

SO…. Out of Lockdown… How’s It Going?..... So far anyway… by Carl Phillips SO…. Out of Lockdown… How’s It Going?..... So far anyway… by Carl Phillips Well….. the High Street is back open again. The vast majority of traders and services are back behind the counters, including the dry cleaners and laundrettes, as well as the hairdressers and beauty salons. In addition, not just the main High Street, but also “over the bridge” on the junction of Laleham Road and Sheep Walk, the shops and services there have also been doing their best at this time. The same can be said for the shopping parade in Upper Halliford. The takeaways –Italian Pizza Experts, Ivory Tusk, Lemon Grass Chinese, Thai Bite, Jacks Fish ‘n’ Chips, School of Spice, Mumbai Square, Eastern Pearl, Golden Grill, Tasty Grill….and the Red Lion …. all are at your disposal too. They have been a godsend to many over these months…and they’ve been working so hard to provide a service –to collect or to deliver! Well….. the High Street is back open again. The vast majority of traders and services are back behind the counters, including the dry cleaners and laundrettes, as well as the hairdressers and beauty salons. In addition, not just the main High Street, but also “over the bridge” on the junction of Laleham Road and Sheep Walk, the shops and services there have also been doing their best at this time. The same can be said for the shopping parade in Upper Halliford. The takeaways –Italian Pizza Experts, Ivory Tusk, Lemon Grass Chinese, Thai Bite, Jacks Fish ‘n’ Chips, School of Spice, Mumbai Square, Eastern Pearl, Golden Grill, Tasty Grill….and the Red Lion …. all are at your disposal too. They have been a godsend to many over these months…and they’ve been working so hard to provide a service –to collect or to deliver!

All the pubs are now doing business … mostly full –time … but with some social distance measures in place. Likewise the restaurants are open and equipped .. and waiting for your business too! Hopefully we are all using them as much as we can to help them all on their “road to recovery”. We are in tough times –as we see every day from the papers, radio and TV news, business is not picking up so quickly for Britain’s High Streets and particularly our pubs and restaurants. We must do what we can to help and give our locals our business! Our hotels in the square –Warren Lodge and The Anchor -are not yet open. We await to see when that date may be, but they are affected, like all hotels, with a major problem regarding bookings. The Holiday Inn is functioning normally, it seems. Personally, I feel we have reached this point in time when we now need to push forward positively, back to some sort of normality, for both the country and locally. We need to get Britain and our local industries and businesses, not to mention our schools, back on their feet and, taking the necessary precautions, forge our way back to full functionality, surely. This lockdown, this enforced break from normal working, has made life hard (and sad) for many but there have been some positive effects too. We have all seen another facet of life -a fitter life, perhaps, with all those walking and cycling endeavours undertaken … even if under duress sometimes! For many, the lockdown has enhanced a healthy life (less pollution –no planes!) and, perhaps it has helped us to focus on closer family values , with those who we live with particularly. SO, we all wish ourselves a full recovery from this episode, in all ways, and I hope it may have instilled a more positive view of life to come, and what really matters. That includes more LOCAL shopping and using more LOCAL services (like the Library - when it re-opens) as much as we can. All the pubs are now doing business … mostly full –time … but with some social distance measures in place. Likewise the restaurants are open and equipped .. and waiting for your business too! Hopefully we are all using them as much as we can to help them all on their “road to recovery”. We are in tough times –as we see every day from the papers, radio and TV news, business is not picking up so quickly for Britain’s High Streets and particularly our pubs and restaurants. We must do what we can to help and give our locals our business! Our hotels in the square –Warren Lodge and The Anchor -are not yet open. We await to see when that date may be, but they are affected, like all hotels, with a major problem regarding bookings. The Holiday Inn is functioning normally, it seems. Personally, I feel we have reached this point in time when we now need to push forward positively, back to some sort of normality, for both the country and locally. We need to get Britain and our local industries and businesses, not to mention our schools, back on their feet and, taking the necessary precautions, forge our way back to full functionality, surely. This lockdown, this enforced break from normal working, has made life hard (and sad) for many but there have been some positive effects too. We have all seen another facet of life -a fitter life, perhaps, with all those walking and cycling endeavours undertaken … even if under duress sometimes! For many, the lockdown has enhanced a healthy life (less pollution –no planes!) and, perhaps it has helped us to focus on closer family values , with those who we live with particularly. SO, we all wish ourselves a full recovery from this episode, in all ways, and I hope it may have instilled a more positive view of life to come, and what really matters. That includes more LOCAL shopping and using more LOCAL services (like the Library - when it re-opens) as much as we can.

Rajiv and Kavita Mohan were due to receive a Rajiv and Kavita Mohan were due to receive a Community Award last year, but were in India at Community Award last year, but were in India at the time. Their award was presented this summer at the time. Their award was presented this summer at their home by Cllr Colin Barnard, Mayor of their home by Cllr Colin Barnard, Mayor of Spelthorne who said: Spelthorne who said: “Rajiv and Kavita ran the Laleham village shop “Rajiv and Kavita ran the Laleham village shop “Best One” for 15 years. The shop became a focal “Best One” for 15 years. The shop became a focal point in the village. It operated with great friendlipoint in the village. It operated with great friendliness, efficiency and enthusiasm. Nothing was ever ness, efficiency and enthusiasm. Nothing was ever too much trouble. The village shop became the too much trouble. The village shop became the distribution point for “Shepperton Matters”, acted distribution point for “Shepperton Matters”, acted as a drop-off point for Amazon deliveries for resias a drop-off point for Amazon deliveries for residents absent from home and even, on occasion, dents absent from home and even, on occasion, provided a dog sitting service! provided a dog sitting service! They organised coffee mornings at the shop and They organised coffee mornings at the shop and gave donations to local causes. gave donations to local causes. The reopening of the Post Office in 2017 after The reopening of the Post Office in 2017 after many year’s absence has been widely welcomed, many year’s absence has been widely welcomed, especially by those with restricted mobility. especially by those with restricted mobility. Rajiv and Kavita have demonstrated how much a village shop can help the local community. Rajiv and Kavita have demonstrated how much a village shop can help the local community. The both fully deserve a Community Award.” The both fully deserve a Community Award.” Huge congratulations to these worthy winners of the Civic Award. Huge congratulations to these worthy winners of the Civic Award.