A LOCAL authority has urged high street businesses that have rejected introducing steps to reduce the social interaction between people to rethink.

As part of its drive to help reduce the transmission of coronavirus, Stokesley Town Council has distributed notices promoting social distancing which most traders had agreed to display in their windows.

The government has advised people to avoid gatherings in smaller public spaces such as pubs and restaurants.

Councillor Ian Blakemore said there had been “a very mixed response” to the initiative.

He said: “Some businesses say they get it, but others have been quite difficult to engage with. Some people are in denial.”

Ahead of the town hall and library closing from the weekend, Cllr Blakemore said refusing to follow social distancing protocols, such as only having two people in a shop at one time, was short-sighted.