Hopes and fears as businesses look to future as lockdown eases

PHILIP DEWEY & LUCY JOHN

WHILE the nation waits to find out whether lockdown restrictions will be lifted, businesses are starting to look towards to the future.

But the last few months has seen catastrophic effects on the economy with employees losing their jobs, workers placed on furlough and businesses going under.

And while it looks like the country will be looking to move back towards normality, social distancing measures could still see businesses feeling the economic pinch.

We’ve spoken to business owners to ask them how coronavirus has impacted on their livelihoods and what their hopes for the future are.

■ Captiva Spa in Caerphilly Sarah Bruton, 39, from Blackwood, had to close her business Captiva Spa on March 23 when the Government announced lockdown measures.

Since then, the spa has been doing all it can to maintain relationships with their clients. They’ve also been busy selling products online and setting up online tutorials for hair and beauty for their clients through social media.

Sarah added: “The government schemes – including furlough – have been incredibly helpful but like all businesses, our overheads are high and we need to be able to trade as soon as it is safe to do so.

“We are in the process of making changes to the way we work: changing shift patterns, opening seven days a week in order to limit the number of people in the building and allow distancing. We are also changing our treatment procedures and processes to enable our staff to work safely.

“We’re making provision for

PPE for all our staff and clients but are still awaiting clarity from the Government in terms of exactly what their requirements will be.

“But we will be ready. I feel it is incredibly important for our industry to give clients confidence