Coronavirus restrictions to stay in Hungerford High Street

“I think that shows a degree of pragmatism and compromise and looking at the actual situation in the town"

MANY of the coronavirus restrictions currently placed around Hungerford town centre will stay in place for the foreseeable future, it has been revealed.

In a full Hungerford Town Council meeting on Monday, September 7, councillors discussed the impact of the measures introduced in the town and whether they should remain.

It was decided to continue suspending the parking outside Coffee#1, while the coned off areas in Bridge Street, as well as the red traffic signs, will be removed.

Mayor Helen Simpson said: “My feelings are that we can remove some of the measures in place, but the measures outside of Coffee#1 need to stay because it’s a passing point, and that one area does get a lot of footfall.”

Councillor Rob Chicken said: “People are liking the visibility from the parking outside of Coffee#1 because you can see down the hill, so maybe we should make that permanent so you can see down the hill when you come out of Tescos.”

Councillor Sally Hawkins said: “I think the area outside of Coffee#1 and further on down to Boots is still an area where there are customers.

“One of the biggest queues is for Parsons at lunchtime and coffee time and so I think that area is still quite important because if it stays and there’s the extra space, it reduces the opportunity for fractiousness I think.”

Mrs Simpson added: “So for fractiousness and people stepping out on to the highway and because people are still needing to distance by one metre plus, from a health and safety point of view I think we should keep those.

“But the signage and the ones down at Bridge Street I don’t think are as contentious and I think we could do away with those.”

Mrs Hawkins said: “I think that shows a degree of pragmatism and compromise and looking at the actual situation in the town.”

The council will relay its decision to West Berkshire Council.