Supporting local shops in Chorley as retailers prepare to reopen next week
As shops prepare to reopen from Monday, the call has been made to support local retailers - who have supported their communities throughout the crisis.
Chorley shopkeepers are counting down to their much-awaited reopening next week.
While other shops have been open during the lockdown, non-essential retailers have had to watch and wait for Government instructions.
Now shops can reopen around the country on June 15.
Folk have turned to their local shops and traders during the crisis.
Mike and Sarah Bryan run The Bees Country Kitchen on Chorley covered market.
The business has been open during lockdown.
Sarah said: "As far as local produce is concerned, this has always been a key thing.
"Sixty eight pence of every pound spent is with local suppliers.
"We have two suppliers outside Lancashire, everything else is Lancashire."
She added: "I think there's going to be massive changes in hospitality and particularly casual dining.
"It's even more important to support your local suppliers now.
"That first couple of weeks it was really hard because it was just me and my husband here.
"We always said, if you spend money with us it goes straight back into Chorley.
"There's the suppliers, we live in Chorley and support local business with our leisure spend.
"It's really important for us to support them now."
The business has been doing its bit for local causes.
It was already committed to providing a school meal service for Parklands High School - 70 meals a day delivered by volunteers.
And sending 60 meals a week into the local foodbank.
It switched quickly to doing orders and deliveries locally - to areas including Preston, Leyland and Adlington, for example.
Business has been brisk at Stills Decorators, Pall Mall, Chorley.
Shirley, whose husband owns the shop, said she had been busier during lockdown, sometimes seeing customers she had never seen before.
"I have (been busy) - the day's gone a lot faster," she said.
"It's been more interesting for me because the days were longer before. When you get less busy you get less interested . When it's busy you try harder and are optimistic about things."
She said the business was even thinking about opening up an upstairs showroom in September when folk start buying more wallpaper, presumably as the autumn approaches and they stay in more carrying out jobs such as decorating.
And she added that folk had turned to the local shop where they found items cheaper than in the local supermarkets - and in supply.
"I've had a lot of people coming in I've never seen before," she said.
"I opened a month after lockdown. They keep coming back - they realise it's not more expensive."
Malcolm Allen, chairman of Chorley Traders Alliance, runs Malcolm's Musicland, Chapel Street, Chorley.
He said: "I think most shops are looking forward getting back to trading.
"You've got to get back meeting the customers and as long as you've put in safe measures they can be confident of shopping in the shops.
"As long as we keep a safe distance to what the Government suggest . . . we don't want this second phase which we know is going to come ,we don't want to be in another lockdown again."
As regards shopping local, he said: "I think people have been shopping in their neighbourhoods and some will tend to carry on doing that.
"I think people might be more inclined to do that than go to the Trafford Centre or some other bis stores."
He added: "If people com en my shop and want me to find something from the rack for them I will.
"If they come in and want to browse, I have a pair of gloves for them."