Cornwall's MPs have joined together to urge people to "think local, shop local" as businesses start to reopen after lockdown.

Non-essential shops will be able to open from Monday (June 15th) and town centres and businesses have been preparing by implementing measures to ensure that social distancing guidelines can be followed and that staff and customers are safe.

To help local companies Cornwall's six Conservative MPs have launched a "think local, shop local" campaign.

Cherilyn Mackrory, MP for Truro and Falmouth, said:

"Cornwall and Cornish businesses produce and sell a huge variety of goods and I would like to encourage as many people to shop local.  It just feels like the right thing to do.  It will be fantastic if we can all join together in this effort to help our small local businesses recover from the hardship of the Covid pandemic and ensure a brighter future for Cornish families."

North Cornwall MP Scott Mann, launching the campaign, said:

"Businesses across Cornwall have made a huge sacrifice by shutting and helping to stop the spread of COVID-19, many of them have taken out loans to cover costs and overheads. We can show our support by thinking about what we need to buy and making a choice to shop locally.

"Our great Cornish economy can provide everything we need, right on our doorstep. From food, to DIY products, and everything in between. If each of us buys something locally when retail reopens, we can really make a difference.

"That is why I am launching our 'think local, shop local' campaign."

Sheryll Murray, MP for South East Cornwall, said:

"There is no doubt that our economy has been hit by this pandemic and we must all now do what we can to get it back on its feet.  Our economy is very reliant on tourism and hospitality and these are the areas that have been affected the most.

"That is why I am joining my Parliamentary colleagues across Cornwall to urge people to source locally where they can so that we can get the fabulous Duchy economy moving again."

St Austell and Newquay MP Steve Double added:

"These are difficult times for local businesses, and we can support them by choosing to buy local as much as we possibly can.

"We have all become accustomed to buying from the internet in recent weeks. But let us be determined not to make that a permanent habit and get back to buying from our many excellent Cornish local shops and businesses whenever we can."

George Eustice, MP for Camborne and Redruth, added:

"Over the course of the past 10 weeks, many of us have started to shop more local and depend on our local communities for basic supplies. As the effects of COVID-19 are still being felt it is right that we continue to support these businesses and continue to shop locally. By thinking and shopping local, we can rebuild our great Cornish economy and truly make a difference to people's livelihoods."

Cornwall Council leader Julian German has also urged people to support local businesses and help them while they get used to the new environment.

He said:

"As our high streets reopen for business we will welcome the opportunity to visit our town centres for the first time since lockdown began."

But he warned that life has not "returned to normal" adding:

"It will be much different to what was experienced 12 weeks ago."

He urged people to take care when visiting shops and following guidelines around social distancing.