New lockdown leaves businesses battling to stay afloat

Business owners fear another lockdown means a battle to stay afloat as non-essential stores, pubs and restaurants were ordered to remain closed until February.

Mainland Scotland and Skye were plunged into a full “stay at home” lockdown at midnight on Monday following a surge in coronavirus cases.

Scots are legally required to stay at home throughout January except for essential circumstances.

Businesses across the country were looking forward to the prospect of being moved to level three restrictions at the end of the month, however, the latest lockdown orders mean their doors will stay firmly closed.

Mhairi Taylor, owner of Ziques bakery in Glasgow, told STV News her business is “just trying to cling on” until it can reopen.

She said: “It’s been really hard, it’s really hard for everyone.

“I think it’s arguably been harder for people that have been open and then had to close and then had to open and then had to close again.

“As a management team our big priority is to save the business and also to save all the staff’s jobs. We’ve given up part of our own salaries in order to do that.

‘All we’re doing is just trying to cling on until we can reopen and hopefully things get back to normal.’
Mhairi Taylor, owner of Ziques bakery

“All we’re doing is just trying to cling on until we can reopen and hopefully things get back to normal.

“I think it is sadly inevitable businesses will close.”

Following the latest lockdown announcement, Ms Taylor’s team is coming up with alternative ways to keep business rolling.

She said “We thought we would have been allowed to open by October, we had that as our deadline and then that was extended from October to then December.

The team is now offering home deliveries and takeaway to stay afloat. STV News

“Then we hoped we would be able to open just before Christmas and then we were put back even later.

“So we have decided to do home delivery and takeaway from next Monday and I’m sure our customers will be delighted to hear that and we will be delighted to serve them again.”

For Aviemore it should be the busiest time of the year in Scotland’s winter sports capital.

But despite perfect conditions the season is now all but over.

Katie Jachacy, from the Pine Marten Bar in Glenmore, said despite the blow to business, a new lockdown is the only way to protect the local community.

‘It wasn’t a surprise. I think because of the sheer numbers of people that we were seeing flocking here from all over, a lockdown is actually what was needed.’
Katie Jachacy, from the Pine Marten Bar

She said: “It wasn’t a surprise. I think because of the sheer numbers of people that we were seeing flocking here from all over, a lockdown is actually what was needed.

“It was needed to protect all of our local community up here.

“Obviously it is disappointing that we can’t open but we just keep coming up against these struggles.