Shoppers at Brewery Square in Dorchester will be protected when stores reopen, thanks to an extensive variety of measures being put in place.

With the coronavirus pandemic significantly impacting the retail industry, and with lockdown restrictions easing in the coming weeks, Brewery Square is taking steps to provide visitors with an enjoyable but safe shopping experience.

Staff at Brewery Square have been taking into account guidelines from the Government, the British Retail Consortium, and others. As a result, a detailed plan has been developed by Brewery Square to ensure the health and safety of all shoppers, staff, and retailers, with ongoing work continuing over the coming months to ensure all measures align with the latest advice and work in practice.

Floor stickers will be placed in areas where queues are likely, helping shoppers comply with social distancing guidelines. Sanitising stations will be placed around the Square for visitor use and daily door handle cleaning will take place across the whole site. Brewery Square is also ensuring all staff and contractors have access to personal protective equipment (PPE), so they and shoppers feel comfortable and safe while at the Square.

However, it has been decided that the fountains in the square will remain switched off until next year. Young children often enjoy playing in the fountains, and families can gather in close contact when switched on, so the decision to turn them off has been made to support social distancing.

Charlotte Spracklen, centre manager at Brewery Square, said: "Our highest priority is ensuring that our visitors feel safe when they shop with us and increasing health and safety measures is key to achieving this.

"We also know how difficult this period has been for our retailers and restaurants and want to support them as much as possible to get their businesses back up and running again in a safe and sensible way.

"We want people to feel they can still have the shopping experience they know and love at Brewery Square, with our new COVID safety measures in place."

Various retailers have already been trialling new operational measures at the Square, including Seventh Seal which is currently opening its café part-time for takeaway coffees. The café is only allowing card payments, with two customers in the shop at any one time, two-metre queue markers outside and hand sanitiser available on entry.

Essential stores remain open, with various other stores offering a home delivery service to the local community. Delivery information is available on the retailers’ own websites and social media channels for shopper information.