Skip to main content
Site logo
Wandsworth
Conservatives

Main navigation

  • News
  • Get involved
  • Meet Louise
  • Your Local Councillors
  • About us
  • Contact us
Site logo
Wandsworth
Conservatives

Aled Richards-Jones: Helping Our Local Businesses Through COVID-19 And Beyond

  • Tweet
Saturday, 5 December, 2020
Aled Richards-Jones

Cllr Aled Richards-Jones, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Skills and Employment.

As Wandsworth Conservatives, we know that our local businesses are at the heart of our communities. They serve us all year round and contribute so much of the buzz and vitality that makes Wandsworth such a great place to live.

When the pandemic began, Conservative-controlled Wandsworth Council distributed over £100m worth of business grants and rates relief to businesses forced to close.

When the first lockdown ended, the Council took radical action to give our shops and hospitality businesses a shot in the arm by temporarily pedestrianising three of our High Streets: Northcote Road, Old York Road and Bedford Hill – and we plan to do this again.

The results surpassed our expectations: businesses on those roads reported trade being up, on average, 30% compared to the previous year. Many businesses told us the measures had literally saved them!

As we come up to the crucial Christmas trading period for our businesses, we’re still doing everything we can to help our local businesses. This includes:

  • Encouraging our residents to shop local. We’ve promoted local businesses through our digital and shop-window 'Shop Local' campaign, and we’ve showcased local businesses through Independent Shops Directory and our Virtual Wandsworth gift directory.  
  • Maximising High Street appeal by improving shop frontages, facilitating pop-up uses in vacant commercial premises, and displaying local artists' work on units undergoing development (have you seen the Arding & Hobbs building in Clapham Junction, or Battersea High Street recently?).
  • Publishing a list of outdoor pubs and our 'Foodie trails’ to show residents where they can drink and dine out in Wandsworth. 
  • Helping as many independent businesses as possible to get trading online, by providing training in digital skills, helping businesses access funding, and securing places for local businesses in a Small Business Virtual Christmas Market.

Our High Streets and local businesses have been there for us during Covid – and Wandsworth Conservatives will be there for them now, and in the future too.  

  • Local News

You may also be interested in

Supporting You Through COVID

TAX FREEZE: Conservative-run Wandsworth is the ONLY Borough in London to Freeze Tax

Saturday, 6 March, 2021

Thanks to over 40 years of strong financial management, we have been able to freeze tax and roll out the most comprehensive COVID support package in London to help Wandsworth residents through the pandemic. 

Show only

  • Articles
  • Local News
  • Media
  • National News
  • Reports

Join or Renew

Help us take action on local issues and build a better Britain.

accepted-payment-cards

Wandsworth Conservatives

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About us
  • Join us
Site logoPromoted by David Jones on behalf of Wandsworth Conservatives, both of 3 Summerstown, London, SW17 0BQ
Copyright 2021 Wandsworth Conservatives. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree