WEST Somerset shops in need of financial help when opening up again after the lockdown will be able to share nearly £139,000 given to Somerset West and Taunton Council under the Government’s new Welcome Back Fund, it was announced this week.

The new scheme is designed to underwrite the safe re-opening of local shops and stimulate the return to normal trading, but this week local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger warned that many struggling smaller businesses will also need the help of local shoppers if they are to stay afloat.

“The Government and local authorities will be doing their utmost to ensure people feel safe, protected and comfortable once they can go shopping again but the real question is how much trade shops are going to enjoy,” he said.

“Many households have turned to online shopping during the lockdown months and have found it a very convenient way of acquiring both essentials and luxuries.

“But I would hate to think that online shopping becomes the norm. Proper shopping is a great British social activity and human presence is what adds dynamism and character to high streets. We lose that element at our peril.

“I am afraid people are going to discover there have been many casualties when the high streets re-open for business. There will be empty premises left by businesses which have not been able to survive, despite the best efforts of their owners and the Government.

“But unless we see a mass return of shoppers to our town centres there are very real fears that that blight could continue to spread.”

Mr Liddell-Grainger added: “High street traders have, wherever possible, done their best to look after their customers with phone and online ordering and home deliveries while face-to-face shopping has been off the agenda.

“Now the nation is hopefully getting back to normal I should very much like to see that loyalty repaid many times over.”