LOUISE MURPHY - OUR NEW LOCAL HEROES

When lockdown initially started on 23rd March and the new rules were announced, my first reaction was ‘ok, we can all do this for a couple of weeks

Our New Local Heroes - The Shop round the Corner

When lockdown initially started on 23rd March and the new rules were announced, my first reaction was ‘ok, we can all do this for a couple of weeks’, however the impact on local businesses is far greater on all counts. The sign on the shop door indicating ‘closed until further notice’ meant no customers and no daily revenue coming in, wages and bills for supplies/utilities etc would still require payment - the knock on affect for them is huge and immediate.

I have always tried to support local shops in and around where I live in Harpenden and during lockdown I have been following various local businesses on Facebook and on line and I have seen first hand how they have adapted swiftly to enable their business to continue in this hugely challenging time. Here are a couple I have shopped with:

Jelly’s Meats - Southdown, Harpenden

A family run local butchers put out a message via Facebook that they would begin deliveries to homes in the local area, prioritising the elderly and vulnerable. I am sure it has been extremely challenging for the owner, however, they have shown that in these difficult times they found a way to continue to work even when supplies were low and they were putting themselves, their staff and family at risk. They continue to adapt during the extended lockdown and deliver to their customers not only in good spirit but with a smile on their face.

www.hertfordshiregardencentre.com

A local garden centre provided free delivery of available goods to our road. I live on a road of 27 houses and at the beginning of the lockdown one of the residents set up a Whatsapp group so we could shop and do any errands for residents who may be shielding or self isolating.

Many residents wished to do some gardening to keep busy and a delivery order was made and emailed to the garden centre. This was soon delivered to one house where the residents could collect their goods with social distancing in mind. Not only is this helping the company to continue running but brings the community together in a way that none of us would have expected.

Staying at home safely and following the rules has given me much more time for reflection. I now feel an enhanced value for my local community and businesses within it, especially those near to home and within walking distance.

The local businesses are on the whole, run by local people living close to us and earning a living by providing goods and services to the local community. I will continue to support my local shops both now and after when all of this is over and I thank them for continuing to trade at this time.