I was delighted to attend the reopening of OAP Curiosities in Wallington to mark the next step in our roadmap out of lockdown.
OAP Curiosities is a fantastic family-run antiques shop set up in 2020 by John Groom who always dreamed of selling oddities in his retirement. I was fascinated to learn more about the history behind John’s collection and hear the team recently filmed for Antiques Roadshow with the BBC! John and his team have been busy over lockdown; getting the shop ready and fully stocked for their official reopening today alongside friends and family.
Earlier this year, I was pleased to be able to assist John with applying for Sutton Council’s Additional Restrictions Grant, which was made available to support businesses who had seen a significant reduction in their income due to Coronavirus. The business grants have been a lifeline to so many small and local businesses here in Carshalton and Wallington. You can find out more about whether your business is eligible on the Council’s website here.
All non-essential retailers, along with the personal care sector, pub beer gardens, libraries, and gyms can reopen from Monday 12th April as England moves to Step 2 in the Roadmap out of Lockdown. I look forward to visiting more fantastic local businesses and their owners in Carshalton and Wallington over the coming days and weeks to help them get back on their feet.
Thank you again to John and his team for inviting me down to celebrate the reopening of OAP Curiosities. You can visit John’s shop near Wallington Station at 13A Ross Parade, Wallington, SM6 8QC.