CLICK & COLLECT ‘VITAL’ TO SHOPS
A New Ross businesswoman has called for the return of Click & Collect, saying it is vitally important if businesses are to survive the coming months.
Margaret O’Hanlon runs three businesses in New Ross: Blossoms boutique, Mr H Menswear and Hanrahan’s shoe shop. She said the current system is making business owners feel like they’re doing something wrong.
Calling for shops to be reopened next month and for click and collect to be reintroduced in the interim, Margaret said: ‘Having to deliver stuff to a car really is madness. We are up on Facebook and we have the websites and our shop is doing well but you just feel some of the time that you are doing something wrong. All we are trying to do is survive.’
She said people of all ages need to be able to go into a shop and try on a pair of shoes.
‘We have quite mature people wanting shoes. They like to come in and try them on so of course this is an issue. The Government want everyone to get outdoors and continue to keep exercising so they need proper shoes. It’s the same with clothing. There are people looking for clothing and unfortunately people need to go to funerals and they need shoes. What do we say to them? This is all very stressful for people when they can’t get them.’
She said all small retailers should be allowed to reopen in the coming weeks, after the 5km travel ban was lifted.
‘I think small, independent retailers like ourselves should be allowed to open. I can understand keeping the bigger ones closed as you can’t control the crowds. I’d also like to see Click & Collect for clothing. As a retailer we have made capital investment. I had to buy stock last July for this spring. You can’t cancel that. You sign a contract. We were all optimistic at that time that we’d be open for spring as we were after going through a closure.’
She said no business can maintain cash-flow while closed.
‘You can’t conduct a business unless you have stock. It’s depreciating every day. The CRSS and the 10 per cent are not sufficient/. They are only keeping the insurance paid and the lights on. I’m keeping my staff on. It’s gotten to the stage that to survive it’s getting critical. I would be very disappointed if the Taoiseach doesn’t tell us this week that Click & Collect is coming back.’
She said none of her ten staff have contracted covid, adding that they are ready to welcome customers back into her shops.
‘We will do it correctly if we get our doors open. We will look after our customers and ourselves. We need Click & Collect immediately and to open as soon as we can after that.’