LOCKED DOWN BUT NOT OUT
CITY TRADERS AND BAR MANAGERS VOW TO COME BACK STRONGER
HULL shopkeepers and bar mangers owners have struck a defiant tone, despite having to lock down their businesses s for the next month.
For many, the second full coronavirus lockdown is a significant spanner in the works that t has struck at the heart of Christmas shopping and party season – however, they have vowed to fight on, with some finding new ways around the Government’s trading restrictions.
Several have appealed for shoppers to follow the new rules, despite the “devastating” impact they will have on their livelihoods, in the hope that it will bring about a revival in trade just in time for a big spend during early and mid-december.
The message is that the city is back on lockdown, but traders show no sign of packing in for good.
Businesses are facing their first day locked up since June as coronavirus case numbers continue to escalate in the city and the surrounding East Riding.
Yesterday, a further 287 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Hull.
In total, 239 have died between Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital after contracting the virus.
With cases continuing to go up, the Government opted to suspend its three-tiered approach to managing social distancing rules last week and confirmed a full national lockdown – this came into place at 12.01am today.
At that point, 47,742 people had lost their lives to coronavirus in the UK since the pandemic began.
With all non-essential businesses forced to either close, or find new inventive ways around the lockdown, Hull firms have called on shoppers to stay patient and return en masse when the lockdown ends on December 2.
“I’d say the main message is to stay safe, to stay at home. The better you follow the rules, the sooner the lockdown will finish,”
Troy Eyaad, who owns House of Ink tattoo studio and Prospect 82 convenience store, said.
“Please support your local stores especially around us. Don’t forget to use your small businesses.
“We will be here when lockdown finishes, but please do use us when you can.
“I reckon the more we do this month, the quicker they’ll loosen the lockdown.”
Mr Eyaad’s tattoo business has been forced to shut until December but his convenience store, which is situated next door, can remain open to sell essentials.
Tom Thorp manages the Piper, one of the city’s most popular bars and nightclubs, and says the first lockdown gave them the opportunity to generate new ideas for how to operate in a trading environment which had to contend with Covid-19.
The better you follow the rules, the sooner the lockdown will finish Troy Eyaad, owner of Prospect 82
However, the decision to implement a lockdown has split opinions.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone back in December. It felt like we were building up some really good momentum and return custom in the run-up to these latest restrictions and we’ll be back with more great events, drinks and service,” he said
“People within the business and our industry have differing views.
“Since relaunching as a bar we have been able to create a fantastic weekly line-up of events from film and quiz nights to music bingo and bottomless brunches, all of which have been really well received by the public.
“We’ll be taking time over lockdown to put plans in place for the next set of these events over December.”
While some will be closing altogether, others have found ways around a full lockdown by taking their business online and offering a click and collect service.
Denise Harrison, of Samsara, an ethical craft shop in Princes Quay, says she is committed to keeping her staff in employment during the month-long lockdown and has set up a new method of shoppers getting their hands on their products.
She said: “Incredibly, we tripled October’s takings so we are devastated. People were buying early in anticipation for lockdown, but this is still devastating to us now.
“For us, it is very important. We are still trying to support our families in Bali, so we continue to use them instead of businesses in the UK.
“We’ve got staff that need to be paid, so we are trying to keep everyone in a job.
“We are doing a click and collect service so people can go through the website and then arrange a c collection. We are also doing d deliveries with a £2 charge within H Hull.
“We’re also doing wider range deliveries and postage, too.”
Elsewhere, Dave Mentesano, of New Amsterdam 1933 in the Prospect Centre, only opened in September having opted to launch despite the possibility of a second lockdown looming.
He has begun to take his business online in a bid to encourage shoppers to keep spending with his independent shop.
“We’ve got people queuing up in here now and I’m needing to get the doors locked for lockdown,” he said yesterday.
“I’ll be doing it online and I’m stacked out at the minute.
“I’m trying to get stuff online and I’m going to be selling stuff on there.”
The second coronavirus lockdown is expected to end on December 2 after Boris Johnson promised to stick to the cut-off. The three-tier system is then expected to be reintroduced.
People were buying early in anticipation for lockdown, but this is still devastating
Denise Harrison, of Samsara