Posters, flags and signs will urge people to help Shrewsbury to ‘Bounce Back’
Shrewsbury town centre will be a welcoming and colourful place, whilst helping people and businesses to stay safe during the next phase of coronavirus restrictions.
A range of bright posters, flags and signs will urge people to help Shrewsbury to ‘Bounce Back’ by following social distancing and other public health measures.
Signs will be attached to pavements, using a range of Darwin-inspired animals, to demonstrate social distancing, and shops will display stickers in their windows to explain the measures being taken to ensure people’s safety.
Specially-designed flags are being hung from buildings, with a range of messages such as “SY Together”, “Welcome Back”, “Thank You” and “Stay Positive”.
Bunting and lamp-post banners are being installed in various parts of the town centre, and posters along the same theme as the flags are being displayed in many shop windows.
The displays have been coordinated by Shrewsbury BID as part of the Shrewsbury Recovery Taskforce, which also includes Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council.
Emma Molyneux, of Shrewsbury BID, said a lot of work was going into making sure the town centre was safe and welcoming for people.
She said: “Clearly the number one priority has to be safety whilst people are visiting the town centre, and we are being advised by the public health team at Shropshire Council.
“It’s about balancing the need for safety with the desire to make the town centre a happy and welcoming place when shops start opening again from June 15.
“So the images contain a mixture of important public health information and positive messages using a consistent brand of Bounce Back Shrewsbury.
“Everyone is excited to start seeing people in the town centre again, but we are equally mindful of how important it is to ensure people can maintain social distancing and hygiene standards to stop the spread of the virus.
“We hope the range of messaging will inspire people to continue to do their part to help Shrewsbury town centre function again in a safe way.”
Jonathan Soden, owner of The Soden Gallery on Wyle Cop and Shrewsbury BID director, added: “We were very pleased to work with Claire Thompson again, who designed the Stay Positive suite of posters which have been so well received, and it’s great to able to use her designs for this campaign also.
“I'm really looking forward to seeing our town looking so colourful and excited to see the shops reopen when the government allows. The most important thing now is to support all the shops that have been closed for so long.”
The Shrewsbury Recovery Taskforce is continuing to work on ways to adapt the town centre for social distancing and safe hygiene measures, such as installing hand washing stations and widening pavements.
Principles already part of the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan, including giving more priority to pedestrians and creating more open space, are likely to be introduced on a trial basis to enable the town centre to be used in a different way whilst maintaining public safety.
