Start your shopping early – Spanish Town mayor
Published:Tuesday | December 15, 2020 | 12:13 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
Mayor of Spanish Town Norman Scott has appealed to vendors and shoppers who will be in the public space from December 14 to January 4 – the period reserved for holiday shopping – to be mindful that the virus is still raging in the parish.
The mayor is also urging persons to begin their shopping expeditions early so that they can adhere to the 10 p.m. curfew.
“As it relates to the timing, we know that there is a curfew that begins at 10 p.m. As a result, all vending operations and shopping expeditions have to be out by that time,” he cautioned.
According to Scott, a decision has been taken to close a number of streets in Spanish Town, Old Harbour, Linstead, Bog Walk, and Ewarton to facilitate Yuletide vending and shopping.
“We have given the vendors and shoppers the regular space. To this end, we have closed a number of roads to vehicular traffic starting on the 14th of December and ending on January 4, 2021,” Scott told The Gleaner.
“In Spanish Town, French Street from the corner of Beckford Street to the intersection of Old Market Street, Manchester street from the corner of Cumberland Road to the intersection of Young Street, and Burke Road from the intersection of March Pen Road on one side to allow vehicular traffic to flow, as well as Rum Lane and Cumberland Avenue will be closed off,” he disclosed.
In Linstead where the annual all-night Grand Market that usually attracts vendors and shoppers from all over the country has been scaled down, Fletcher’s Avenue to the intersection of King Street and Gillette Street intersection will be closed.
Theatre Lane between Glendon Court and South Street, Market Street and North Street left side heading northerly in Old Harbour will also be closed.
Ewarton in the vicinity of the market and Bog Walk in the area of the market on the eastern side will be closed to vehicular traffic to support vending and shopping.
The mayor said the municipal corporation would be installing a number of sanitation stations around the main market districts to facilitate the washing of hands in addition to having town criers imploring vendors and shoppers to observe the protocols.
As it relates to the annual Christmas tree lighting that is scheduled for December 18, Scott said that the plan is to host a virtual event in order to reduce the number of attendees.