Many of Nottingham?s high street shops opened their doors for the first time in three months this morning. The city centre, local shopping areas and outdoor markets have had a busy day welcoming back and serving customers. ?I would like to thank council staff, retailers, businesses and the Nottingham BID for their efforts to make this happen safely. I would also like to thank everyone who was out and about today across the city in our shops and market places, for making the first day of reopening in Nottingham a success. Overall people abided to social distancing and treated shop workers and other customers with respect.

You can keep up to date with shops are open and their opening times here Open in Nottingham. If you head into the city please remember:

• Support businesses to open safely ? every shop may do things a little differently please look out for the blue signage before entering shops
• Keep left when walking
• Keep two metres apart where possible
• Continue with regular handwashing
• Limiting contact with hard surfaces.

As well as local business, many council services are also reopening. Some services had to be halted or reduced as staff were redeployed to other activities in response to the Covid-19 pandemic or due to social distancing restrictions. Over the last few weeks and for some weeks to come we?ll be reopening services as it?s safe to so. We are following the latest Government advice which will mean that some services may not operate in the way they used to and some restrictions may be in place.

Services that have reopened recently include:?

• Household Waste and Recycling Centre
• Bulky Waste
• Pest control
• Garden maintenance and garden waste
• Woodthorpe Grange Plant Shop
• Bulwell Hall golf course
• Outdoor markets
• Staffed public toilets in Greyhound Street off the Old Market Square, and in Bulwell.

To help you stay updated with council services as they come on line and any restrictions you need to know about we have launched Reopening Nottingham

Today the organisers of the Black Lives Matter protest were welcomed to the Council House and the young people who helped to clean graffiti from the building were thanked by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham and Nottingham City Councillors. They were shown the Black Lives Matter banner we have placed on the Council House to clearly demonstrate that we stand with them and with Nottingham communities against systemic prejudice that unforgivably still places BAME people at a disadvantage in so many aspects of their lives.

Nottingham is a diverse and cohesive city, but we also know that racism and prejudice are not just issues in America, they are issues in our country and our city. We will not tolerate any form of racism, hate or prejudice and commit never to remain silent on these issues. This banner is only part of our response and our ongoing efforts to make our city more equal.