In his weekly message to residents, the Mayor of Hailsham Cllr Paul Holbrook is asking everyone in the local community to continue to maintain social distancing despite the recent easing of restrictions, and welcomes the proposed re-opening of shops in the town on 15th June:
“Hailsham has done so well over the past two months and I’m extremely proud of those of you who have respected social distancing rules and those who are looking after each other. I urge everyone to stay vigilant and continue to follow the advice of health experts as we are not out of the woods yet!
I don’t need to express to you how important it is to maintain social distancing but it seems not everyone in our community is getting the message and a small minority of people are not observing the regulations, perhaps not realising the impact that their decision to flout social distancing measures can have on family, friends and the wider community – in particular, those who are classified as vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Concerns have been expressed about an increase in antisocial behaviour and social distancing not being observed at the Common Pond site in Hailsham, for instance. The Town Council is working with the local police about this issue and is urging the public not to misuse the local beauty spot.
Local police and PCSOs have been informed about recent observations of people flouting social distancing rules at the pond and continue to patrol the area as often as they can to monitor social distancing and reports of antisocial behaviour.
When visiting the Common Pond, and indeed any other public open space in Hailsham, I urge residents to obey all social distancing rules currently in place.
Please do not hesitate to spread that word in cases where social distancing is not being observed and if people wish to report any incidents, then please do so via Sussex Police. Remember, it’s not ‘tattling’ if you are reporting people who are breaking the law.
Public open spaces in Hailsham such as the Common Pond, Country Park, Western Road Recreation Ground and Maurice Thornton Playing Field remain open to the public for exercise, picnicking, sunbathing and enjoying the fresh air, although residents must heed the current government advice relating to social distancing.
Advising the public on social distancing and other measures is vital if we are to help combat the spread of the coronavirus. It’s imperative that we take the health of the local community into consideration during this difficult time.
There has been a lot of debate recently about the proposed phases in the relaxation of social distancing, including the re-opening of ‘non-essential’ shops and other businesses.
It’s excellent news that many shops and businesses will be allowed to re-open in Hailsham in mid-June. It’s vital for our town centre and local economy, but crucially this will have to be done safely.
All non-essential retail is expected to be allowed to resume in a couple of weeks, including shops selling clothes, shoes, books and electronics, as well as specialist outlets such as tailors and bakeries. However, all of these openings are dependent on the Government’s tests being met and only if the retailers are deemed Covid-19 secure.
When mid June comes around, shops will look quite different to what we’ve been used to and operate in new ways whilst the pandemic lives on. It goes without saying that there will be more in the way of limits to the number of people allowed in and restrictions on how people move around shops/business premises, in addition to protective screens and temporary barriers in place, and hygiene products available for use on arrival.
Nevertheless, other town centre businesses such as pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and barbers will have to wait a while longer before they can re-open.
During all this, safety remains the ultimate priority. Whilst we all want businesses to be able to function, there are some considerable changes all of us need to make in order for that to be possible. We are in a pandemic, so if we are to benefit from the re-opening of our businesses and save them, it’s imperative that we take individual steps to make that possible during these unprecedented times – and safe for everyone into the bargain.
In closing, I wish to assure you all that the Town Council is continuing to serve its residents during the pandemic.
Much of our effort continues to be put into communicating with you all the closure and any relevant updates relating to the wide range of services that we provide, such as the community halls, play areas and youth services. We are also continuing to keep residents updated on our services and facilities which have remained open but with changes and/or restrictions in place, including the cemetery and high street post office.
Communicating changes and temporary restrictions to our services is a very important task and I encourage everyone to follow the Town Council social media pages during the pandemic, and keep an eye on our main website for any updates on Council services and facilities.
Thank you and stay safe everyone.”
Terry Hall, Communications Officer
Hailsham Town Council, Market Street, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 2AE
Telephone: 01323 841702 | Email: terry.hall@hailsham-tc.gov.uk