Desperate for that hair cut? Can’t wait for a pint in a beer garden? Wardrobe in need of a spring clean? As restrictions begin to ease, Ealing residents can once again head out to support their favourite local businesses.

The change is part of Step 2 of the government’s Spring 2021 roadmap to ease national lockdown restrictions from Monday, 12 April. From this date local businesses including gyms and fitness studios, eateries with outdoor seating, shops and beauty salons can reopen if COVID-19 safety and security guidelines are met.

As the heart of our local communities, we want to give our high streets, town centres and small businesses the best chance possible of bouncing back safely. This means encouraging customers and businesses alike to play their part in reducing the spread of the virus and help the borough slowly return as much as possible back to normal.

To help get ready to reopen, the council has been supporting businesses across the borough to ensure they are aware and are putting measures in place to keep people safe as they welcome customers back to their premises. This includes reducing the number of customers that can visit at any time, ensuring customers wear their face coverings when required and providing hand sanitising facilities.

Love Local

With the successive lockdown restrictions making local business some of the hardest hit by the pandemic, Ealing businesses need your support more than ever. By supporting them you are supporting local jobs and preserving your community.

Ealing is lucky to have a great diversity of local business who are ready to welcome you. From a yoga studio in Acton to one of Ealing’s oldest pubs in Southall, the borough is full of wonderful businesses.

Find out about more about their stories and the measures they have in place to keep you safe.

Meet:  

• James Muthana, owner of Yoga West, Acton
• Martine and Marco, owners of Tiramisu Café, Ealing
• Sandra O’Connell and Evelyn O’Flaherty, owners of Mooch, Northfields
• Naushaba Khurram, owner of London Aesthetic Beauty, Southall
• Ushma Patel and Derek O’Brien, landlords of The Plough, Norwood Green
• Van Dao, owner of Javi Nails, Southall

These are just a few of the lovely businesses waiting for you on your doorstep.

Share the love

We know that many of our residents are facing financial pressures as well. But supporting local businesses doesn’t just mean spending money, you can still share your love for local businesses in other ways too! Using your voice by sharing local knowledge and recommendations on the internet and social media is really valuable to local businesses.  

Help your local businesses without spending a penny: 

• Like, follow and share your favourite businesses on social media. Engage with their posts and share their stories
• Take time to leave online reviews of businesses you love and spread the word by telling others about positive experiences.
• Show your support by signing-up to mailing lists to get the latest news and offers and share with others

For example, you could share stories and photos from your first visit back to your favourite local businesses or post about how they kept you safe.

These small steps are free and still make big difference for small businesses.

Join in by using the hashtag #LoveEalingLoveLocal on social media.

Shop safe

Unfortunately, the easing of restrictions does not mean the threat posed by COVID-19 has gone away and people need to continue to follow the safety measures in place such as wearing face coverings to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. 

Before heading out make sure you check out your business online as they may have changed their opening hours or implemented new booking arrangements to reduce visitor numbers and limit social contact.

Ealing Council’s regulatory services team has put together a list of signs that you should look out for to know a business is keeping you safe. However, it is up to all of us to continue to follow social distancing and public health guidelines while visiting our town centres and local businesses.

Run a business and need help?

If you run a business in the borough, the council offers a free, bespoke business advisory service funded by the Reopening High Street Safely fund. It can provide you with advice on how to ensure your business meets COVID-19 secure requirements and identify what you can do to keep Ealing safe.

To request this service, send your contact and business information by email (along with the details of the advice you require) to covid19businesscompliance@ealing.gov.uk. Alternatively, information and guidance is also available on the council’s help for businesses coronavirus web pages.

Helping the high streets

Work to help Ealing’s high streets get back on track is delivered by Ealing’s High Streets Taskforce and is supported with £300,759 of funding as part of the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Greater London Authority is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.