At Pages in Maidstone, a transformation is underway, as employees, wearing a visors or masks, and t-shirt emblazoned with 'thank you for keeping your distance', move their piles of stock and ready clothes for delivery.

Like numerous independents in the County Town, the school uniform provider, in Lower Stone Street, is getting ready to reopen to customers on Monday, while adapting to obstacles thrown up by coronavirus and ensuring families feel safe when visiting.

For the last six weeks, manager Sarah Page, 53, explains, the business has been providing 'visual fittings', with experienced staff going to people's houses and standing outside their door, and assessing what size uniform the child needs, without the youngster trying on the clothes.

Paper tape measures are taken and can be thrown away, if the child's measurements need to be taken by a parent. So far, Sarah has only got the sizing wrong once.

This service will continue and Mrs Page is encouraging people to visit the website and book a home appointment for sizing, rather than coming into the shop. They are also offering free delivery and free exchanges.

"For the first time in my career I am discouraging people to come to the shop," she said.

When Pages reopens, four pairings of an adult and child will be allowed at a time and they cannot touch the stock or try it on before buying it.

The counters and all the stock has been moved and customers will wait in booths, created by shower curtains, for their clothes.

Mrs Page said: "We have got to open, some people still want to come to the shop, especially the new Year 7s. They are missing everything, they arn't able to go visit their new school before. This is a little bit of what they would have have. Usually they would have a biscuit, sit down and take a photo with their new uniform but we can't do that this year."

Just up the road, The Golden Boot, which has been in Maidstone since 1790, is preparing to open.

"We need to start trading, we have lost half a million quid in turnover through this," managing director Edward Martin says.

The store, which employs 50 people, has done well in online sales but not enough to make up for the lack in footfall, and many customers travel a long distance to visit the shop.

Some stock, he fears, such as occasion shoes, will also go to waste as no one is going to be holding a party any time soon.

For the first time, people have been able to book appointments with the store, which will start from Monday. Walks in will also be allowed but there will be a queuing system outside.

Coronavirus measures worth up to £15,000 have been spent, although Edward has done much of the work himself.

This includes eight moveable screens placed which will be placed between staff, who will be wearing face shields and the customer whose feet they are measuring.

Edward is confident his measures are robust.

"We still don't know whether we are going to get through it...

"My absolute priority is welfare of our staff, if we get an infection in the store that will cause unimaginable problems."

From a business that has been open for 230 years to one that was open for just two weeks before coronavirus shut it down, coffee bar owners and couple George Spencer and Sandra Lemke will be running a takeaway service at Matestone Cafe from Monday.

The couple could have opened before but the town centre was so quiet, they didn't think there was any point. Now shops are reopening, they're hoping this will change.

Pastries have been delivered, hand sanitiser made by Maidstone Distillery is ready to be used, as are face masks.

The pair are going to take collection orders over social media for customers who don't want to come into the cafe, where there will be a limit of three people.

Having started the business so recently, the couple could not qualify for furlough or self employed grants. They did however get a £25,000 business grant, around half of which has gone on rent.

Although very excited about serving people again, the couple are still uncertain about their future and hope outdoor seating will soon be allowed by the Government.

"We still don't know whether we are going to get through it. We can't survive on takeaways," George said.

Florist Vineta Forstmane-Elsone panicked when she had to close Vinetta Flower Gallery in Pudding Lane.

Her revenue dropped by 70 per cent and the business probably wouldn't have survived without a business grant.

However, over the months she started using social media to attract new customers and even hosted weekly online workshops for family.

Now she is looking forward to reopening next week. Her shop is very small so a limit on the number of customers inside will be limited, but she will be the only person working, so social distancing for staff won't be a problem.

Vineta, 39, who studied floristry in Latvia, only opened in November.

"We have to be optimistic. We are new and we need to be strong," she said.

Businesses across the town welcoming customers back on Monday have been given an information pack, with advice and guidance on reopening.

The pack has been been provided by The One Maidstone Business Improvement District, to companies within their remit.

BID Manager Ilsa Butler said: "We welcome plans for a phased re-opening of trade for Maidstone, after an extended period of uncertainty for many workers and business owners."

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