Hemel Hempstead's shopping centres welcome customers back as non-essential shops re-open

The Riverside Shopping Centre re-opened yesterday after being closed for the past two months, the shopping centre has taken steps to reassure customers that they can expect a safe environment when they visit.

Signage has been installed to help guide customers, following social distancing guidelines and also the safe use of areas such as car park machines. This includes posters, floor stickers, one-way walking systems and signs at frequently used touch points will make sure the precautions which have been put in place are clear.

As well as signage in the centre, updated cleaning procedures, customer safety, queue requirements and retailer restrictions will be communicated to customers on the centre’s social media page - www.facebook.com/RiversideHemel.Businesses, Hemel Hempstead BID, Riverside Shopping Centre, Dacorum Borough Council and The Marlowes are working together to produce clear guidelines for all shoppers.

A keep to the right one-way system will operate across the town with cross over areas introduced.Riverside Shopping Centre

Ian Welland, centre Manager for Riverside Shopping Centre, said: "It was a great re-opening day for Riverside Shopping Centre, the shoppers seemed in a bright positive mood and followed instruction with regards to the one way system and social distancing.

"Most of the centre opened today with Next and Roman opening by the end of the week. TK Maxx was the busiest store in Riverside.

"Hemel working together has been successful as we have consistent messaging across the town and shoppers know what to expect.

"We anticipate the numbers to grow as the week goes on."

The Marlowes has been open for essential shops during lockdown, but the centre fully re-opened this week, with measures implemented to ensure strict adherence to government guidelines.

Access to the centre is currently closely monitored through additional staff and using our existing footfall technology, with visitor capacity carefully controlled to maintain social distancing and to protect visitors, occupiers and staff.

If the density of shoppers rises to levels that may prevent social distancing, access to the centre will be reduced or temporarily stopped until numbers reduce.

A queuing system will be put in place dependant on the status of the centre:

- RED status: The centre has reached shopper capacity – Shoppers will be asked to join the queue to safely enter the centre.

- AMBER status: The centre is near to reaching shopper capacity – Shoppers may need to be prepared to queue to safely enter the centre.

- GREEN status: The centre is free flowing – no queues, a good time to shop

A spokesperson for The Marlowes said: "It was lovely to have our stores and shoppers back.

"We didn't need to go to a amber or red status. Footfall was consistent throughout the day but didn't effect our ability to maintain the social distancing measures in place so status was not changed."

Key partners in the town centre - Marlowes Shopping Centre, Riverside Shopping Centre, Dacorum Borough Council, Saunders Market and Hemel Hempstead BID are launching a new joint campaign called ‘Hemel Together’ to install signage and provide support to businesses across the town centre.

As part of the town’s reopening strategy, hand sanitiser stations will be installed in the Marlowes Shopping Centre and Riverside Shopping Centre.

In addition, lamp post signage, followed by floor signage will be installed across the town centre.

Guidance to ‘keep right’ will aim to ensure that social distancing measures are adhered to and guide the health and safety of the general public and its business community.

Generic signage will also be provided to independent businesses under the ‘Hemel Together’ brand.

Naomi Watkins, Hemel Hempstead BID manager, said: "The BID were delighted to see some of our businesses return yesterday, and signage has now been placed across the town to try to ease pedestrian traffic.

"We are monitoring the situation daily, and although we had a couple of minor hiccups yesterday while shoppers learnt the new one way systems, on the whole it has gone really well.

"We would just ask that everyone try to be patient as this is a learning curve for our businesses as well, and to remember to keep their social distance."