Two Coventry firms are at the front of the queue in helping retailers attract customers back to town and the city centres.
Stadium, which specialises in security, safety and traffic management, has teamed up with Flood Engineering to design and produce a queuing system Q-Smart which will keep shoppers socially distanced as well dry, and allow retailers to double the number of people they have waiting to enter their stores.
The new portable Q-Smart system allows two parallel lines of people separated by an anti-bacterial perspective dividing wall, while a roof keeps them dry as they wait outside a store or business.
The structures can either be surface mounted or fixed more permanently to the floor using a patented locking system, and can vary in length to suit the requirements of the business.
David McAtamney, founder of Stadium, said the new Q-Smart system was designed to help stores ensure customer safety but also to protect the public from the elements.
He said: “The lockdown and partial re-opening has, by and large, coincided with some good summer weather but that will change and with social distancing here to stay for some considerable time, people’s appetite for queueing when the conditions are not so good, may start to wane.
“We have worked in stewarding and safety for 10 years, and we know that creating conditions that allow people to queue in safety and in a way which is very obvious for them, is best.
“As more normal conditions return and there are more pedestrians in town and city centres, stores are going to have to be very organised to ensure the highest levels of safety, and people will only use those businesses which now have the best measures in place.”
The two companies have already trialled Q-Smart in Coventry city centre where it has proved successful.
David added: “We have the contract for stewarding and safety in the city and have helped ensure that the city centre has re-opened successfully, so it was the ideal time to showcase Q-Smart.
“We have had great feedback from retailers and city centre authorities and hope to soon have the system in action for real.
“As well as helping retailers ensure that queuing is orderly and safe, it also offers great opportunities for branding and marketing, which would allow the businesses to offset their costs.”
Left to right: David McAtamney, Fred Turner, Anthony Turner, Mick Welland, James Melia, Chris Melia.