AttisTowns urges Government to open COVID-19 vaccine centres in local high street locations to support the recovery of town and city centres
Published on Property Week
By Anviksha Patel
Press Release November 24th 2020
The Government is being urged to open COVID-19 vaccine centres in local high street locations to support the recovery of town and city centres.
AttisTowns, a new company that works with property owners, Business Improvement Districts and local authorities to help deliver high street transformations, has written to the Health and Communities Secretaries proposing that large, underused buildings in town and city centres, should be actively considered as sites for administering the vaccine.
In the letter, AttisTowns director, Paul Barnes, states that “this is a great opportunity for the public health and economic recovery elements of this crisis to come together for the benefit of all Britain.”
While acknowledging logistical issues such as the need to accommodate large numbers of people safely and the requirement for facilities to store and administer the vaccines, AttisTowns suggest that “it should not be beyond our imagination to create solutions that benefit the health of both our citizens and our town centres. Officials should not be asked “can we do this?” but “how can we do this?””
Siting vaccine centres in town centres has both practical and economic benefits, AttisTowns claims. Access by walking and public transport will be easier, particularly for older people. And shops, bars and restaurants will benefit from higher visitor numbers, while still practicing social distancing measures.
Paul Barnes, says “although there is still a long way to go before we are back to some form of normality, we need to start the long road to economic recovery and what better way than an imaginative use of the vaccine to provide a much needed economic boost?”
Ends
AttisTowns help high streets and town centres to evolve and become robust, sustainable destinations, full of life by mobilising groups of property owners to lead transformation projects.
AttisTowns’ approach is to bring together a range of independent individuals who are experts in their particular area to create the most appropriate and flexible team to meet the needs of your particular high street.
AttisTowns’ team includes expertise in strategic planning and positioning, placemaking, transport, security, place management, funding, night-time economy, sustainability, and branding and marketing. Between us we have worked for London’s West End, for Knightsbridge, for the Kings Road, for Leicester Square, for many UK BIDs, for Bristol’s nightlife and property owners and occupiers throughout London.
You can see more about AttisTowns at www.attistowns.com
AttisTowns’ letter can be seen below
Contact Carlos Kytka on carlos@attistowns.com or +447986992726
Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP
Ministerial Correspondence and Public Enquiries Unit
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
United Kingdom
November 24th 2020
Dear Ministers,
COVID-19 Vaccination Centres
Recent announcements of successful vaccines have given hope that we are moving closer to controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Government makes plans for the administering of vaccines, I would like to suggest that you give serious and active consideration to locating some of the vaccine centres in our towns and high streets.
There are many large, currently unused buildings that could be adapted to act as vaccines centres, such as cinemas and theatres, which can now be used for medical purposes under new Use Class E.
It is likely that more people will be able to walk into town centres and high streets and public transport to and from town centres is better than to out of town destinations. This is a particular concern for older people.
And town centre businesses would benefit from the increased number of visitors. Our town and city centres have suffered greatly due to lockdowns, tiered restrictions and the decline in daily office workers. Shops, bars and restaurants have all lost custom and many are struggling to survive.
Through the hard work of businesses, local authorities and Business Improvement Districts, our towns and cities and their businesses are largely COVID-19 secure. They have the capacity to welcome many more visitors, even with current social distancing rules.
But people need to be encouraged back out after months of lockdown and restrictions. This is a great opportunity for the public health and economic recovery elements of this crisis to come together for the benefit of all Britain.
I appreciate that there are a number of logistical issues, such as the need to accommodate large numbers of people safely and the requirement for facilities to store and administer the vaccines, but it should not be beyond our imagination to create solutions that benefit the health of both our citizens and our town centres. Officials should not be asked “can we do this?” but “how can we do this?”
Although there is still a long way to go before we are back to some form of normality, we need to start the long road to economic recovery and what better way than an imaginative use of the vaccine to provide a much needed economic boost?
Best wishes,
Paul Barnes
Director