DROGHEDA BACK IN BUSINESS!
LOCAL COMPANIES SHOW THEY HAVE THE RESILIENCE TO DELIVER MUCH NEEDED SERVICES DESPITE THE CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS.
DROGHEDA took another giant leap towards normality over the weekeed, with the long-awaited re-opening of hair salons, barbers, creches, churches and some pubs and restaurants in the town.
It may not exactly be business as usual as we remember it just four months ago, but all the traders have taken the necessary steps, and customers have also changed the way they shop, in order to keep life on track as much as possible, whilst keeping everyone safe and healthy.
The centre of Drogheda was bustling over the weekend, with hundreds flocking back to the shops, adhering to whatever measures are needed to shop with safety.
Hair salons are one of the most anticipated businesses to re-open, and tensions are running high in most premises, as the staff rush to make sure all the precautions are in place, and regulations tightly followed. “We are nervous, stressed, anxious and yet very excited,” says Lorraine McDonnell, owner of Sapphir in Laurence Street. “It has been relentless since we were forced to shut the doors in March, and we have been flat out getting the place ready, with only eight customers a time allowed in, with strict partitions, and appointments.
Staff member Karen Matthews says they are all excited to get back to work.
“Obviously we all can’t come back together, but it will be staggered, and we want to thank all our customers for their patience, and also messages of support over the months, and we can’t wait to see them all again.”
Across the road at Wiggy’s Barbers, Andy Wilson is also gearing up for the tidal wave of customers needing his services! “We’re all ready to go and have followed all the guidelines,” says
Andy. “I’m looking forward to seeing all my customers again.”
The staff in the Orange Room in Bryanstown are also beavering away to make sure the salon is completely sanitised and they can start working through the very lengthy list of customers.
“We’re getting there and thank you all for your patience,” says owner Mary Murtagh. “This shows us your incredible loyalty.”
Another sector that is suffering a massive backlog is driving tests and lessons, and Joe Ward ISM from Drogheda Driving School is back in the saddle this week, so to speak.
“This would normally be a buy time of year for me anyway, but there is a huge backlog of lessons built up over the past few months, and I will be flat out trying to catch up, and probably won’t be able to take anymore new customers for a month or so,” says Joe. “We will be following all the recommended guidelines, and learners will be get their temperatures taken before the lesson, and must wear a mask in the car. The car itself will be wiped and santised before and after each lesson, which means there will have to be a bigger gap than normal in between lessons, but this is all being done to ensure everyone’s safety.”
He reminds people to let him know as soon as possible if they are not feeling well, and wish to reschedule, and remember, no mask, no lesson!
The past number of weeks has seen everyone in the community adapt to a new way of living and, where once we took eating out, doing the weekly shop and treating ourselves to some new clothes or coffee and cake – and especially a haircut or blowdry - for granted, these days people have had to adjust to what has become the new normal.
It won’t be long until the lockdown days will be a chapter in the history books.