After a busy week in Westminster, Dehenna Davison hit the high-street this weekend to support local businesses in Bishop Auckland, Spennymoor and Barnard Castle. For three months non-essential shops and businesses have been asked to close by the Government to control the spread of the Coronavirus. The Prime Minster recently announced a further easing of lockdown rules. As part of this careful easing, from Saturday 4th July, pubs and restaurants will be able to reopen, providing they adhere to COVID Secure guidelines, and some leisure facilities and tourist attractions may also reopen if they can do so safely.
Bouncing between shops and businesses over the weekend, Dehenna started her tour by grabbing coffee at the newly opened Fox’s Tale, before popping into Nip and Tuck, Just like Grandma’s Shop, Windrow Sports, Tinkers Treasures, Labyrinth, The Auckland Cupcake Co and The Reading Rooms in Bishop Auckland. Hays Travels, Charles Dickens, Milligans, Nightingale’s Niceties, Occasions, The Sweet Shop in Spennymoor and, The Sandra Parker Studio, Market Cross Jewellers, Book Aid, Oliviers, Macfarlane’s Butchers, and Katie’s Traditional Fish and Chips in Barnard Castle, where she plans to return to soon. She will also be visiting Shildon shops later this week.
The Government is set to publish detailed guidance to help tourist attractions and accommodation venues to re-open safely next month. A new industry standard will also be introduced by Visit England, so that the public can easily see if the venue is carrying out the new rules.
Dehenna is setting the example and urging residents to show their support to businesses reopening across Bishop Auckland to help them re-start, after a long three months of limited business. Dehenna spent the day speaking to business owners across the high-street, discussing the support they have received from the Chancellor and what she can do in Parliament to continue to support them post-Coronavirus.
Following her visits to the high street, Dehenna said:
“It is more important now than ever that we support our tourism sector and the local economy across our constituency. It has been a tough few months for businesses and attractions and whilst the Government has provided unprecedented support, we must do all we can to support them as we ease out of lockdown.
Our high streets and local businesses have so much to offer. This weekend I managed to pick up a few upcoming birthday presents, some new decorations for my house, and some brilliant produce from our local butchers and cake makers.
It was great to get the chance to speak to local business owners and hear their positive thoughts on the various Government’s schemes, including the furlough scheme, that have helped many maintain their income. It was also great to hear first-hand about their concerns and what I can do to help them as we begin to move through this crisis.”