THE LOST YEAR
BUSY PUBS AND NO FEAR OF COVID-19 MEMORIES OF THE LAST ‘NORMAL’ WEEKEND 12 MONTHS ON
BUSY hair salons, restaurants full of customers and packed pubs seem a lifetime ago for many - and no one thought how different life would be now 12 months on. Memories of the final ‘ normal’ weekend before the first lockdown restrictions are still strong a year on and businesses can’t wait for better times.
This time last year, Northern Lincolnshire residents were still going out for food and drinks and had no idea that they’d have to wait months for their next haircut.
For many people, coronavirus was just a news story, with only a handful of cases in North Lincolnshire and none yet in North East Lincolnshire. But within days on March 23, Prime Minister Boris Johnson would force all non-essential shops to close and everyone to stay at home. Hospitality and business owners who remember those days as their last period of normal trading have spoken about the “surreal” weekend before their livelihoods were turned upside down.
Nathan Taylor, the owner of the Cleethorpes Taphouse and Kitchen, was focused on his business’ future rather than a potential lockdown. He said: “Our business was less than a year old at the time, and after a successful start we were looking forward to a strong summer which would let us bring on extra staff. “Everyone was coming out for a drink or food as normal that weekend in March before lockdown. There was no drop-off at all in the weeks before – it went from completely normal to closed.
“It was like someone had pulled the rug out from under us. “I remember watching Boris’ announcement and then having to tell the staff that we were closing. It was such a shock to everyone, it came out of nowhere.
“I made the decision that we would immediately shut from the Monday. We didn’t want to risk lots people coming out for the last few drinks and causing trouble.
“It seems strange looking back to remember a time before restrictions. Now that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, we’re focused on making sure that everyone who comes to Cleethorpes can have a great summer.”
Carla Austin, the co-owner of Lavender Hill Salon, says no one could have imagined a year ago what was going to follow.
She said: “It was surreal – no one that weekend thought lockdown was going to happen. Everyone was carrying on as normal, busy going about their business. “People in the salon were definitely talking about Covid, wondering what would happen, but hadn’t sunk in how serious it was.
“We thought that Grimsby was on the edge of where it was affecting and we wouldn’t have any restrictions as a small town. Obviously it did affect us.
“On the Monday night when Boris gave his speech, we were still expecting to open the next day. We couldn’t believe what we were hearing.
“It will be wonderful to get back to what business was like that weekend. We’ve been ringing people to book appointments and everyone is so excited – it’s good to hear their voices again.”
Oliver Crossland, the owner of the Ranch in Louth, said it was difficult to know how seriously to take coronavirus at the time.
He said:“We were taking bookings for the restaurants as normal, and had plenty of bands lined up to perform. We certainly didn’t expect to be closed.
“The first signs were when Johnson started telling people to avoid restaurants and we had a couple of cancellations.
“I think the moment it sank in was when we heard McDonalds was going to close. That’s when we knew for certain that all restaurants would have to shut.
“The day before lockdown started, we got rid of any time sensitive food products – either selling them cheap or donating them – not knowing if it would be weeks or months before we would be back.
“I’m not sure if we will ever return to no restrictions in indoor dining like that last weekend. Hand sanitiser and social distancing will probably be around for a long time.” With easing of the lockdown restrictions on the horizon, northern Lincolnshire residents will soon be able to enjoy simple pleasures like a haircut or dinner in a restaurant again.
However, the devastating cost of the last year will linger on for many businesses with many more tough months still to come.