Stronger and better

It was bound to happen sooner or later and sadly, this week, Arran has seen the coronavirus pandemic rear its ugly head on the island.

With cases on the rise it was welcoming to see businesses taking decisive pre-emptive strike action, shutting down in an attempt to quickly halt the spread of the virus. This can only be commended as closing a business down can have dire financial implications.

But businesses on the island, and not just those in the hospitality sector, have been decisive in this voluntary action – deciding they just can’t wait until they are told by the government what to do.

As we said earlier in the paper it is ironic that the First Minister should suggest this week that positive signs in North Ayrshire could see the area drop into tier two restrictions.

This week, if anything, has shown it was always right for the island to be in the same band as North Ayrshire.

At least the time of the second wave is better for island businesses to shut up shop. November is always a quiet month on Arran and they will be able to regroup and reorganise ahead of Christmas, which is all for the good.

This week’s news that a Covid-19 vaccine is within touching distance gives hope, at last, that some day this may all be over and we can get back to our old lives and old ways – but not yet.

There can be no complacency. We must continue to follow the rules and by doing the right thing it is the view of the Arran Recovery Group that we will emerge even stronger and better than ever before.

That is all our hopes.