Worthing businesses ‘are being cautious’ as England covid restrictions ease

Traders in Worthing were pleased to reopen, but have concerns over staff having to self-isolate, town centre manager, Sharon Clarke, said.

Mrs Clarke. who is also director of Worthing Town Centre Initiative (TCI), a collection of traders, told the Herald: “This is leading to some businesses having to close as they don’t have enough staff to operate.

“The self-isolation issue is also affecting deliveries and so some are struggling to get supplies at the moment.

“Many businesses are being cautious and asking that customers continue to take precautions so that they can keep their staff safe and avoid any further isolations as this will help them to remain open serving customers.

“All businesses are optimistic that as things settle down and self isolation is no longer required for double vaccinated people they will start to see a level of normality returning.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the country was ‘right to proceed cautiously in the way that we are’ in a press conference on Monday night. But he added that the ‘pandemic was far from over’.

He said that if the country does not open up now, we ‘face the risk of tougher conditions during colder months’.

A co-owner of Worthing’s main nightclub, Jungle, expressed his excitement ahead of reopening on Monday night.

The 29-year-old said the club had a raft of safety measures in place to protect clubbers and staff.