After government instructions, the majority of non-essential businesses have closed and that includes your local cafe or restaurant and they are certainly feeling its effects.
Charlotte Thompson, 24, is a trainee manager at The Imperial, a local tearoom in Retford.
The catering business has been running for five years and is a hub for entertainment.
Since the announcement of closure, the tearoom lost 100% of its bookings on Mother’s Day, as it was fully booked for the celebration.
“It’s devastating because quite a lot of people had booked weeks in advance and we’d organised the menu, as we were offering a sparkling afternoon tea.
“The day was expected to be busy and full of fun, so it’s a shame to not be able to deliver the final result.”
The tearoom closed its doors for the foreseeable future on March 20, along with many other local businesses in the market town.
Many employees of local businesses are worried about how long they may be out of work and whether they will get paid.
However, Boris Johnson recently announced most employees of businesses that have shut will receive 80% of their wages until this pandemic is over.
“It’s such a relief to know that I won’t be out of pocket for the next however many months. It means I can still pay for things like my car insurance and phone bill.
“It takes a lot of stress and anxiety off many people’s shoulders.”
With COVID-19 increasing, business is expected to be reduced even further, as the government has issued a list of essential retailers to stay open.
The list includes supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies, post offices and banks to help slow down the spread of infection.
For more information on how to protect yourself from the coronavirus, click here.
