This week sees another milestone in the UK Government’s easing of COVID-19 Coronavirus restrictions – with non-essential shops added to the list of businesses allowed to reopen, provided they can implement stringent new hygiene and 2 metre ‘social distancing’ requirements to protect customers and staff.
Of course, as we’ve been reporting over almost three months via our regularly updated RUDDINGTON.info COVID-19 Traders checklist, many of our ‘essential’ village shops have done residents proud by managing to remain open and trade safely right through the pandemic – including our Co-op and Sainsbury’s supermarkets, Ruddington Post Office, The Bottle Top, Evans Pharmacy, Grange News & Bakery and Ruddington Village Butchers. The Cycle Clinic, Amanda Findlay Opticians and Ruddington Dental Practice stayed available by appointment for emergencies and repairs.
Ruddington Fish Bar, Dhaka Delhi, Three Spices and Happy Garden then reopened for takeaways following a period of closure. Others reverting to a ‘near normal’ service recently have included National Car Finder, Kitchens by Mascari, Near & Far Removals, Perkins Hardware, The Groom Inn and village estate agents Thomas James and Benwell Daykin. New Ruddington based travel expert Leia Morales is advising we can start to book holidays again, too!
Other hospitality businesses such as The Ruddington Arms, The Frame Breakers, Gino’s Ristorante, The Old Bakehouse Tearoom,The Black Cat Café and Jaspers Café have managed to provide takeaways or deliveries to maintain a little ‘normality’ during these unprecedented times. Philo’s Deli has announced it will reopen on July 1st. But these venues will have to wait until at least July 4th before they can welcome any customers inside. That’s also the likely date that Ruddington’s plentiful barbers, hair-dressers and beauty treatment salons will be allowed to reopen for the many of us now in desperate of attention – plus our local gyms and fitness centres. The monthly Ruddington Village Market returns on July 4th, too, but will be on The Green to enable ‘social distancing’.
Ruddington Village Centre Partnership (RVCP) Chair Mike Ader says: “Ruddington really has shone with its essential shops during the pandemic and is now welcoming back more general shopping. We look forward to hospitality businesses being open again from the 4th of July. It is fantastic that the return of the market is on the same day as the reopening of more Ruddington traders…… it promises to be a significant day!”
In actual fact, there are few village traders returning this week who weren’t already offering some kind of service. However, these do include David Richards Jewellers and Ruby Rae on Church Street – whilst Phoenix Flowers on High Street will be welcoming customers inside again as well as extending opening hours back to five days per week. The still closed Cottage Hotel is now offering ‘socially distanced’ wedding venue viewings, too.
None of Ruddington’s three charity shops is reopening yet – something which The Honeycomb Christian Charity Shop manager Zoe Parton would like to emphasize: “We at Honeycomb are preparing the shop to follow the new regulations” explains Zoe. “We haven’t a definite date for opening yet but it won’t be until mid July-August . We would appreciate it if people don’t leave any donations outside the shop until we are officially open – and we will be then be happy to welcome our customers back.”
One shop we have lost during the ‘lockdown’ is Sweetie Boutique. Even before restrictions started, owner Sue Kosciekowski had already decided she wouldn’t continue beyond June due to family commitments. However, in its place at 18 High Street, will be a brand new business called ‘Sweet Moments’ run by Dilwar Hussain. Among other things he promises ‘old school’ puddings, homemade cakes, shakes, sundaes, cookie dough, waffles and ice cream. Although the official opening isn’t until June 29th, Dilwar plans to trial out takeaways from this Thursday (June 18th) if all the necessary equipment arrives in time. We’ll bring you more news soon!
Meantime keep checking out RUDDINGTON.info for the latest on the phased reopening of village businesses – and read more about some of our great, independent retailers >>HERE<<.
