ALMOST £211,000 has been granted to Trafford Council to support the borough’s high streets in getting back to business safely post lockdown.

The Reopening High Streets Safely Fund will allow the authority to introduce a range of practical safety measures including new signs and street markings.

The authority will also use the money to develop local marketing campaigns to explain the changes to the public.

The council has been working hard to support local businesses so they can re-open quickly, staff can go to back to work and customers can return to shops confident that it is safe to do so.

Cllr James Wright, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration, said: “This funding is extremely welcome and will help to enable Trafford businesses to reopen safely.

“Local shops and businesses are vital to our economy – and we will do everything we can to support them, as we work through the recovery phase of this pandemic.”

The funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund and the Government is making the cash available to councils to support businesses to reopen safely.

The money, totalling £50 million in England, is allocated to councils with the aim of spending the monies promptly to boost commercial centres as the lockdown eases.