Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Shutting up shop as UK goes on virus lockdown
Uncertain times for retailers and attractions across Kent
Monday night’s announcement by Boris Johnson saw pubs, cafes, restaurants and non-food shops closed down.
John Lewis, which has branches at Bluewater, Ashford and Tunbridge Wells, announced it was closing its department stores and Waitrose food stores on Saturday.
It said: “We have kept our shops open as long as possible because we know how important a role they play to you and your local communities. “Due to the unfolding situation, we’re very sad to have to let you know we’ll be temporarily closing John Lewis shops from the end of the day on Monday. “For 155 years, our mission has been to serve you – and rest assured, that will continue.” On Monday, there were queues throughout the county as people rushed to have one last Mcdonald’s before the fast-food chain closed down until further notice. Videos online showed cars snaked around restaurants in Gillingham and Ashford. Shops still open at Chatham’s Pentagon Centre, include Sainsbury’s, Wilko, Boots Pharmacy and Superdrug.
Its multi-storey car park and bus station are also open. Meanwhile, a couple who opened a coffee shop this month say they are fearful their dream is now in tatters.
Only last weekend, Matestone in Maidstone was packed with artists, professionals and musicians enjoying pastries from Ashford and coffee brewed in Medway.
However, the High Street coffee bar is now deserted. Despite the Government pledging to help small businesses, George Spencer, who runs the cafe with Sandra Lemke, is concerned the business will not regain its customer base. He said: “The closure is heartbreaking for us.
“For a lot of people we serve, it is the only place they have found which is like a home.
“A lot of them have family issues or personal issues. “One is a recovering alcoholic and we were able to provide somewhere for him to feel safe and comfortable and spend valuable time with people. “We have got fruit and vegetables which is just going to rot. “We have got quite a lot of money invested in the food so we are going to freeze what we can and give the rest to a local charity for the homeless.” Fenwicks department store in Whitefriars, Canterbury, closed down, pledging to continue to operate online, but said it needed “to do the right thing... by mitigating the potential spread” of the coronavirus. Sales director Simon Youden said: “The health and safety of our staff and customers is absolutely paramount.”