Supporting town centres and retail recovery

This page provides Government guidance on how you can make your business COVID-19 secure and the measures we’ve implemented in these areas to help you trade safely and keep your customers safe.

Reopening safely - COVID-19 Secure Guidelines

Non-essential retail businesses including shops selling clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books, and electronics, plus tailors, auction houses, photography studios, and indoor markets can reopen if they follow the COVID-19 secure guidelines.

Businesses can only reopen once they have completed a risk assessment, in consultation with trade union representatives or workers, and are confident they are managing the risks. They must have taken the necessary steps to become COVID-19 secure in line with the current Health and Safety legislation.

Businesses/employers need to display a notice visibly in their shop windows or outside their store to show their employees, customers and other visitors that they have followed the COVID secure guidance:

Staying covid secure (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

Read the full guidance for support on opening your business safely.

Coalville and Ashby Town Centres

Businesses in Coalville and Ashby town centres have received a guide to help them adapt their business and manage their customers in a safe environment. You can download the guide below:

Trading Safely During COVID 19 Leaflet April 2021 (PDF Document, 1.37 Mb)

In order to help shoppers and businesses follow social distancing guidance, you can expect to see the following in Coalville and Ashby town centres:

Floor markings (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

Signage (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

Hand sanitiser stations (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

Barriers are also in place where necessary.

Other high streets/shopping areas and Parish Council support

Resources have been made available to support all the other high streets and shopping areas in the district. Individual Parish Councils have been supplied with toolkits to help them prepare for the re-opening of non-essential shops in their parish. 

Car parking

Car parking charges have been reinstated in all council car parks with contactless card payments only. A pay by phone system is also in the process of being set up.

Council car parks remain free for NHS staff members, health and social care workers and NHS Volunteer Responders when on official duty. This will help support these key workers whilst they carry out essential work in our communities.

Eligible staff can get a free Government parking pass from their employer, NHS Trust or the Royal Volunteering Society. If you think you are eligible and are struggling to obtain a free parking pass from your employer, please contact us by emailing parking@nwleicestershire.gov.uk or telephone 01530 454545 and we will assist you.

For further information on the scheme, please visit the NHS free parking website.

All on-street car parking enforcements resumed on Monday 1 June.

Coalville Market and public toilets

Coalville Market has reopened with social distancing measures in place.

Our public toilets in Coalville and Ashby de la Zouch town centres are open, with charges removed to reduce hand contact and the need to use coins at the entrances.

Coalville public toilets are open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10am till 3pm.

Ashby public toilets are open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10am till 3pm.