The London Bridge business community has been busy reinventing itself, keeping stay-at-home customers happy and supporting NHS staff
The Coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc across the country and businesses are being forced to close for the public good. However, the business community in London Bridge is coming together to keep their customers fed, watered, fit and mentally strong as they stay at home over the weeks to come.
Local bars, fitness clubs, restaurants, wellbeing experts, theatres and museums are among the businesses that have used this time to bring customers new online offerings. In addition, Business Improvement District leaders Team London Bridge are scheduling webinars and asking individuals for their good news stories, keeping the local business community together even when it’s spread out all over the country.
Keeping local employees healthy, Fitness First is broadcasting live workouts at 11am, while Pizza Pilgrims and Brigade Bar and Kitchen are staging cook-a-longs to follow at home. The Unicorn Theatre’s production ‘Girls Like That’ is available to watch online and The London Bridge Experience is posting daily history content and games to keep the kids entertained. The first of a series of webinars from Team London Bridge will be a wellbeing at work workshop with Renar Wellbeing.
The community has also got firmly behind the NHS staff working so hard on our behalf. Nip Nip are offering free cycle repairs, Fully Charged are offering three months’ free rental of electric bikes, The Shard and Tower Bridge have both been lit blue to show their support, Leon have launched a national ‘Feed NHS’ initiative, and Pizza Pilgrims have made ‘hero drops’ to hospitals across London.
In addition, Brigade Bar and Kitchen have been giving out free meals to the homeless and vulnerable.
Team London Bridge Executive Director Nadia Broccardo, said: “We have always known that London Bridge businesses are resilient, they’ve had to be, and now they are showing their strength again through entrepreneurial innovation. The 45,000 local employees at home for the next few weeks can cook a recipe from their favourite restaurant or even ‘go to the gym’, keeping them in touch with their ‘normal’ lifestyle and making this situation a little more pleasant as we fight the pandemic.”
Pizza Pilgrims, who usually run a busy branch in London Bridge, said: “Ever since opening in London Bridge, we’ve felt welcomed and supported by everyone in the community. Pizza really does bring people together and we wanted to make sure that even though our ovens are off for now, you can use your grill and a frying pan at home to have a crack at making our pizza through our cook-a- longs!”
Participants can follow James to make pizza from scratch, step by step, on the Pizza Pilgrims Instagram page and share their creations by tagging @pizzapilgrims.
An online hub is growing daily where visitors will also find a section to keep adults and kids entertained and a lockdown-friendly ‘Love Lunch’ series of free to view sessions.