Getting ready to reopen on Monday 12 April

Is your business ready to reopen? After a long wait, the government announced that non-essential retail can reopen on Monday 12 April. As this date fast approaches and you begin setting up shop once again, read our checklist below to help ensure your reopening is a success.

Update Your Opening Hours

It can be hard to know when businesses will be open and if they will resume to normal opening hours. Make sure your customers know when to come and visit you by updating your business’ opening hours. As more customers now check for business information online, it’s best to cover all grounds; update your Website, Google Page and Social Media pages, as well as adding updated hours to your shop window.

Don’t forget to let us know your opening hours, so that we can update your business page on VisitGloucester.co.uk.

If you don’t currently have a page on Visit Gloucester contact tourism@gloucester.gov.uk to get a free spot on our website.

‘We’re Good To Go’ Industry Standard

“We’re Good To Go” is the official Visit Britain mark to signal that a tourism and hospitality business has worked hard to follow Government and industry COVID-19 guidelines and has a process in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing. This is a crucial step to putting customers at ease and ensuring they feel safe. If you haven’t already -apply now to confirm your business has taken the necessary measures and is operating in line with national guidelines.

Once you have been deemed ‘Good to Go’ you can promote this to reassure you customers by adding the logo to your business premise, website and social channels.

Businesses in the UK registered to the ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard scheme are now automatically eligible for the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) international ‘Safe Travels’ stamp.

What’s new?

Things will be very different to how they were when your customers visited pre-pandemic. Put them at ease and let them know the procedures you have in place. You can do this by using video, images, and text to explain this on social media and your website. Your customers will appreciate knowing how you have made your premises COVID compliant prior to their visit.

Keep an Eye on Messages

With lots of changes taking place, your customers might want to contact you before they visit your business. Be prepared to answer any questions your customers might want to ask. Keep an eye out on social media, email and your phone. You could even post frequently asked questions on your social media and website.

We hope you find these tips helpful and wish you all the best with your reopening.