Stay safe and spend local in St Andrews

This article is more than 3 years old

The lead up to the festive season is going to feel different for us all this year. Fife Council is urging people to spend safely locally by using face coverings, keeping hands clean and physically distancing.

New signage is going up across Fife’s town centres and a campaign is underway promoting social distancing - #2metresis - to help keep communities safe and create a safe shopping experience for us all.

Shopping is one of the best ways we can help our local economy, local jobs, and our communities. Fife is incredibly fortunate to have quality retail offers locally.

Fife’s towns and villages provide a great range of shops and services and they have adapted to keep serving local people and providing essential services.

Louise A Fraser, Chair BID St Andrews, said: "St Andrews is very much open for business, despite appearances, and our businesses continue to provide the safe environment for shoppers and staff that they have been implementing since reopening in July. We look forward to serving you this Christmas period and would encourage all our local and loyal customers from St Andrews and beyond to continue to support your local independent, family run businesses at this critical time."

Lucy Denvir, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Fife, said: “Public safety and reducing the transmission rate of Coronavirus is our priority. Fife remains in Level 3 of the Scottish Government’s national restrictions, reflecting the transmission rate across Fife. To avoid moving into Level 4 we cannot be complacent.

"It is vital that everyone continues to play their part to keep our communities safe and reduce Covid-19 transmission. This means sticking to FACTS:

Face coverings in enclosed spaces      
Avoid crowded places      
Clean your hands and surfaces regularly      
Two-metre social distancing      
Self-isolate and book a test if you develop coronavirus symptoms, however mild they are.

"Although there is less risk outside, there are still risks. This means people must always maintain a 2 metres distance - including when walking around town or queuing to get into shops.

“Adaptations in and around the town are helping to ensure that people can safely move around town, maintain a safe social distance, and adhere to the Level 3 restrictions.”

Alistair Macleod, Transition (Community Led Action on Climate Change in St Andrews), University of St Andrews, said: “The temporary measures and extra room for pedestrians created by the Spaces for People programme is encouraging many local residents to shop local in St Andrews during the festive period.”

Cllr Altany Craik, Fife Council's Convener, Economy, Tourism, Strategic Planning & Transportation Committee, said: “Fife Council is encouraging people to stay safe and spend local. I encourage everyone in Fife to back their local retailers and traders this Christmas and spend their money locally. Businesses and Fife Council are actioning plans to keep shoppers and visitors safe – with queuing outside and the potential for business to use outdoor space. This is the most crucial period of the year for local businesses and we can all back them by staying local, spending local, and supporting our small businesses.”

John Mitchell,Service Manager, Sustainable Transport & Parking, Fife Council, added: “Temporary measures are in place in the town to help keep everyone safe, and create more space for people to walk, cycle and wheel. By promoting physical distancing – and the two-metre rule - we’re helping people to spend safely locally and helping to prevent Covid-19 transmission. We’re supporting the NHS to help local people stay safe, protect others and save lives by making it safer for people to travel in and around St Andrews.”

When travelling to and from town centres please:

  • Walk, cycle or wheel to the high street rather than use public transport, where possible. This frees up space on public transport and helps travellers with physical distancing.
  • Keep your distance, protect yourself and others.
  • If using public transport to visit high streets, please remember that you will need a face mask.