A new initiative has been set up to revive our town centre and industrial areas – bringing life back to Royston as the coronavirus lockdown eases.

Royston Come Together – by Royston First, the town’s Business Improvement District – includes a new online COVID-19 Support Hub and Facebook group for local businesses to help them access resources and information, after most were closed for almost three months due to the pandemic.

Chair of Royston First David Smyth, speaking on behalf of the board, said: “We are working hard to ensure that we do as much as we possibly can, within our remit, to support businesses in Royston.

“We are working closely with North Herts District Council to try to ensure the changes that have to be made are the best options in this very difficult time. We have started lots of initiatives to try to improve communication, including contacting businesses both in the town centre and the industrial estate through conversations, emails, leaflet drops and social media, so that they and the general public are kept as up-to-date as possible.

“The town is starting to open up again and we hope the members of the public will come back to the town and support all the local businesses as they have done before. We are always keen to hear from businesses, and would encourage them to contact us via our website.”

On their website you’ll also find resources including funding opportunities and downloadable COVID-19 posters and stickers. You can also email them for floor stickers.

The Facebook group ‘Royston Come Together’ was made to improve communications and is exclusively for businesses with premises. If you are a director or a manager, you should consider joining to keep up to date with the latest information on social media.

Royston First also wants to learn more about the impact COVID-19 has on businesses by gathering information via an online survey.

They are also aiming to promote local businesses by listing the opening times of those with premises in adverts and online.

For the community, they have installed five touch-free hand sanitiser stations for you to use, in the town centre and wish to thank the businesses who are helping us to look after these stations – Mica Hardware, Abode Town & Country, No.3 Royston, HC Jewellers and Moreno’s Cafe.

To accommodate social distancing in the town centre, NHDC are widening footways and reducing obstacles such as parked cars, through the use of temporary safety barriers.

To contact Royston First email info@roystonfirst.com and see www.roystonfirst.com/covid-19-hub-for-royston-businesses/ for more information.