UK SHOPPERS have praised Grasmere Gingerbread® over its innovative red/green traffic light system to keep people safe from COVID-19.
Impressed customers took to TripAdvisor to post congratulatory comments.
“This feels safe, exclusive and it was only a short wait to get in,” reported one visitor from Southend-on-Sea. “If a tiny shop like this can get it spot on, no excuse for other places! Bravo, really impressed!”
A customer from Leeds added: “This small shop has the challenge of becoming Covid safe. It has managed it by operating on a red/green light system, allowing only one group of three people in a time.”
What shoppers don’t know is that the company behind it – Marl International from Ulverston – interrupted their production of LED lighting for new T26 frigate warships being built in Glasgow to install it.
“The ships are for the UK and Australian navies and at the same time we were manufacturing lighting for the London Underground’s Bakerloo Line,” explained company boss Adrian Rawlinson.
“But we were only too happy to pause for a moment to help Grasmere Gingerbread® which is a fellow Cumbrian business and absolutely unique.”
The red/green lights are modelled on existing rail track lights which can be seen in railway stations around the country and hardwired into a switch which staff operate behind the counter of the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.
Andrew Hunter of Grasmere Gingerbread® said the system – in addition to sanitiser, face masks and screens inside the shop – helped smooth the flow of people safely through the iconic Lakeland attraction.
“It’s enabled us to serve up to 30 per cent more customers in a day which help us to safeguard the jobs of people working in the business,” he said.
“Whilst we operated a mail order service during lockdown, it has been important to get our shop in Grasmere operating again.
“It’s always safety first, business second and we won’t hesitate to undertake other initiatives to respect the health and safety of our incredible customers and staff.”
