PUBLIC spaces and car parks could be used to help businesses trade more easily and safely as lockdown rules are eased, a councillor has suggested.

During a meeting of Mold Town Council on Wednesday, members discussed how the ongoing impact of the coronavirus is affecting businesses.

A report to the council, by business and regeneration officer Joanna Douglass, explained: "Trade in the town continues to be extremely varied, dependent on the good and services sold and if they are open given the current restrictions. "A number of food businesses are reopening as takeaways including the Fat Boar, Subway, Starbucks, Wes Edwards and Big Fish."

Cllr Andrea Mearns suggested open space in the town could be used to make trading easier once the ongoing restrictions are lifted.

"We have Daniel Owen Square and car parks, which are public spaces," she explained. "I have been floating the idea of having them for use by businesses.

"At some point, when [restrictions] are relaxed to the point that you can go an have a coffee, we are going to need somewhere that the small cafes and restaurants can go, because having two metre distancing in some of them is going to be impossible.

"It would be really useful to get something in place with Flintshire Council for these businesses to use spaces as a 'pop up' so people can be socially distanced.

"We could think of it as 'outdoor' Mold and it would be a reason to use the space in the town more effectively."

Cllr Mearns also suggested that on the days that the outdoor market is not in the town's lower high street, struggling shops on that street could make use of the space.

Following the meeting, the town council will be in contact with Flintshire Council to investigate the possibility of using the open spaces in order to help businesses.