I’m delighted to be back in the saddle this week after taking a week’s break. My thanks go to Andy Wrintmore, Deputy Mayor, for holding the fort for me while I was off, and for doing such a great job.
Apart from the usual meetings and phone calls, I also enjoyed getting back to my weekly walkabout. I took the chance to talk to some of our lovely businesses and find out how they’re doing. I’m delighted to say I heard lots of positive stories today about how business is really picking up. It’s good to see Frome starting to bounce back, but there’s still a long way to go, so it’s increasingly important that we continue to support our local businesses.
The improvements to the town centre are progressing well. It’s good to see the railings around the NatWest Bank corner have already been removed and replaced with bollards, and the pavement widened on both sides of the road. The roads have already been cut in for buses to approach the bus stops in the centre and you can already see the difference it will make to create an easy flow of traffic through the town. I stopped to chat with the workers this week, who tell me they’re on schedule and pleased with their progress.
From 7th August car parking charges were reinstated by Mendip District Council but wouldn’t it be wonderful if Mendip decided to continue to support us and reversed the decision until the end of August. They’ve said they’ll be looking into it, so let’s hope so but if not, then at least we’ve had the benefit of 8 weeks of no charges.
Let’s also enjoy some of the extra freedoms that are coming our way and take advantage of all the benefits around ‘Eat out to help out’. Don’t forget you can eat out from Mon- Wed at half price (up to £10 per head) at any of the establishments who are taking part. So far over 30 local businesses in and around Frome have signed up to the scheme which will operate throughout August.
The full list can be found by going to the Government’s website and popping in the Frome postcode: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/eat-out-to-help-out/find-a-restaurant/results?lookup=BA11+1EB
Please remember, although we are gradually experiencing more freedom, it’s so important to still keep our distance, wear masks where appropriate, and keep washing those hands.
Stay safe, everyone!
