Blooming marvellous!
■ Many businesses in Ashbourne say they are blossoming again following the coronavirus shutdown, with some in the town reporting a return to pre-covid-19 sales levels
ASHBOURNE retailers appear to have bounced back from lockdown limbo.
Many businesses in the town centre say they have already returned to pre-lockdown business figures.
Some even say they are thriving and are welcoming many more customers than expected.
It has been over a month since the Government allowed shops to reopen on June 15 with strict guidelines to stop the spread of coronavirus.
While some firms say it will be a while until things return to the way they once were, the general feeling from many is optimistic.
Father and daughter Nigel and Clare Brown run Nigel’s Butchers in Dig Street.
They said things were going well for their business.
Clare said: “We never closed during the lockdown. We stayed open and offered free delivery services to help people while they were isolating.
“We have probably got more customers now than before. People might have lost some faith in big supermarkets so they are coming back to try to help and support local businesses.
“We have definitely survived. We are still here – and busy.
“During the panic-buying, people couldn’t get things at big supermarkets so they got it here.
“Some have gone back to supermarket – but a percentage of those have started coming here more regularly.
“Some have said that we were there for them when they needed it, so they are coming back. “There definitely seems to be a sense of supporting local businesses.”
Amy Shaw runs The Flower
Shop of Ashbourne in Dig Street. The business opened behind closed doors on April 25 after it was closed entirely for a short while. Ms Shaw said it was “crazy” to start with as the business was fulfilling order after order.
She said: “On the days that I’m in, I don’t stop.
“I think people still want to send others flowers because they are not getting to see them as often as they’d like.
“When we were working behind closed doors, most of our orders were from people who could not get to see their loved ones and they wanted to show that they were thinking of them.”
Jo Hall owns The Olde Sweet Shoppe, also in Dig Street.
She says that her business is surviving, but times are hard in her market.
Ms Hall said: “We did close during lockdown.
“We are doing okay since. We have opened on a part-time basis from Thursday through to Sunday generally.
“We are taking each day as it comes and being as responsible and sensible as we can be.
“We have children coming in and we need to make sure that it is safe for them.
“We were conflicted about opening because we didn’t want queues of children forming outside against the traffic.
“We’re just trying to be as safe as we can.”
But Ms Hall said the business might not be back to pre-lockdown levels for a little while.
She pointed to the fact that it is currently summer holidays, and a lot of her business comes from children buying sweets after school.
Ms Hall said: “It won’t go back until things return to the new normal. But we are staying positive and encouraged.” But
There definitely seems to be a sense of supporting local businesses.
Clare Brown of Nigel’s Butchers
Laura Cooper of Handmade Design in Victoria Square had nothing but positive news to share.
She said her business has been booming since opening again on June 15.
Ms Cooper said: “We did have an online shop and did do delivery during lockdown.
“But after we have opened, things have been going better than I thought they would.
“My expectations were low but it’s been a lot better.
“I think the opening of the holiday homes nearby has helped because we have had a big increase in tourist trade.
“I’m happy with how it has gone so far.”
Ms Cooper said that her sales figures were fractionally higher than the same time last year, which was a pleasant surprise.
She said: “July is one of our busier months of the year. If a second lockdown hits in November, I’m in big trouble.
“Could I just thank the local people for their support during the lockdown?
“People did go out of their way to try to support me when I was closed –and that made a big difference.
“I didn’t realise how much I actually had until the lockdown.”