LUKE MARSDEN: Helping normality to return

We’ve all had a scare over the past few days when Wigan’s R rate was inaccurately reported, leading to me (and many others I’m sure) to think we’d be under some sort of town lockdown. I nearly bulk-bought some Uncle Joe’s!

Thankfully the fake news was cleared up and we actually have the lowest R rate in the Greater Manchester borough. Now, I’m not saying we should celebrate this by taking to the streets and hugging/kissing each other but we can begin to take steps into this new form of normal.

In this very column a few weeks ago, I said I wasn’t rushing back to the pub and that is still true, but I intend to support as many local businesses as possible as they get back on their feet.

This is our duty as Wiganers to support the companies that we enjoy having in our lives. Picture a Wigan town centre without some of our favourite eateries, Gallimore’s, Franco’s etc. It’s a grim thought and, yes, eventually King Street will have life breathed into it, albeit I think my days of doing the cha-cha slide in Jumpin Jaks may be best left in the past.

Now the Chancellor has effectively announced a Taste Card for all is coming, we can begin to creep back into normality with an added incentive of supporting our local places that were ripped out of our lives by this virus.

Our R rate is low, but we shouldn’t be going crazy, this is a tip-toe sprint, not a stampede marathon.

Some of the scenes from the capital last weekend were appalling. We can do better.

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