Bravely launching in lockdown
>> OWNERS OF TWO NEW BUSINESSES ARE CONFIDENT THEY HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME >> SHOPPERS ARE URGED TO ‘THINK LOCAL, BUY LOCAL’
THE coronavirus pandemic has badly affected the economy and the high street and Burton has not escaped, but there are some small green shoots in the town.
Many shops, including big names in the town have had to close due to the impact of the pandemic on the economy, and when all stores are allowed to reopen from April 12, Burton’s town centre, along with towns up and down the country, will look a very different place as shoppers return.
In Burton stores such as the Yum Yum Sweet Company, Burton menswear, Topshop, Monsoon and chocolate-maker Thorntons have all shut their branches.
Thorntons announced earlier this week it was shutting all of its 61 shops due to the impact of the pandemic, including the shop in Coopers Square shopping centre, affecting more than 600 jobs.
However, it is not all doom and gloom as Burton has seen the arrival of a new independent businesses during the coronavirus crisis, including a new convenience store set up by two old school friends in High Street.
Business leaders in the town are also convinced Burton can bounce back, with one saying with proper strategic planning, he estimates the town centre could be thriving again in five years’ time. But it needs shoppers to buy local and return to the high street, they say.
School pals Waleed Abbasi and Bu-ali Chaudhry, who have opened 74 High Street convenience store and coffee shop this month are convinced they have done the right thing at the right time and the town will recover.
Mr Abbasi, 27, who lives in Burton, said: “The building was empty for a few years and we decided as friends to take it on. We knew what we wanted and spoke about it a few times and had a vision and thankfully we decided to follow it through.
“It’s still early days yet as we only opened on March 12 and do have plans to have a proper launch day once the restrictions allow us. I have plenty of retail experience and was juggling a full-time job whilst refurbishing the location and I am very happy with the outcome.
“I know it’s probably the hardest time to start a business but we are confident we will have the support of the Burton public.”
Another new venue opening during the Covid crisis is KIKU Sushi and Bubble Tea restaurant which has opened at 18 Station Street, in the former Roses Vape Shop which had stood empty for years.
The restaurant is currently open for collection and walk-ins, but plans to allow people in for sit-down meals when lockdown is lifted. It currently sells a wide variety of sushi, and other authentic Japanese street food, as well as the famous Bubble Tea, which includes chewy tapioca balls or a wide range of other toppings in a hot drink.
Micelle Ying Lun, proprietor of the new business, said he is from Burton and wanted to be near the town centre, and now was the right time to open.
At the moment, the venue is doing takeaways but is using the time in the countdown to April 12 when non-essential shops can reopen as a time to bed in his business and be ready for welcoming customers back through the doors to sit down and eat. He said: “It is going okay at the moment. We don’t have a promotion on so people have been passing by and have come in. We are also doing order and collection and people can come in for takeaways.”
Nik Hardy, president of the Burton Chamber of Commerce and owner of Hardy Signs in Burton, said: “Throughout this difficult period the retail sector has been hit particularly hard.
“At a time such as this, more than ever, we all need to think more about the purchases we make and the retailers that we choose.
“My advice would be to always think local, buy local and support the town in which we live and work.
“The regeneration of the town centre and particularly the works in Station Street have been well received by retailers. Burton, like all towns, has experienced a turbulent period over the last few years with regular reports of major retailers and employers suffering closures and falling profits.
“I do believe that our high street and town centre can have a better and more balanced future ahead if certain measures are taken. We need to ensure long-term sustainability for future generations.
“I believe this requires a shift from the retail focused activities of the town centre, to new uses and purposes which foster greater social interaction, community spirit and local identity and characteristics.
“Our town has rich heritage and benefits from a central location to draw in visitors from the wider Midlands region.
“With proper strategic planning, I envisage a town that is flourishing as a hive of activity and social interest in five years’ time – and beyond.”
Burton is also set to have £22.8 million spent on improvements designed to increase footfall after securing government money. Plans include moving the library to the Market Hall, which the group set up to bid for the money says will secure the historic hall’s future and be a better base for the town’s library.
It would also bring more people into the heart of the town. However this plan has met with some opposition from campaigners and traders. Traders would have to move if the plan went ahead, which some are unhappy about.
I know it’s probably the hardest time to start a business but we are confident we will have the support of Burton. Waleed Abbasi