Video: You can still shop local during lockdown – and please do, urge York retailers

When new Covid-19 restrictions were introduced in Wales a row broke out as supermarkets said they were unable to sell non-essential items and cordoned off books, cards, duvets and kettles.

It provoked a furious response from the public and the Welsh First Minister was forced to review the rules.

That won’t happen in York this time. Although the rules mean non-essential retailers will have to close, some independent retailers are offering click and collect options with home delivery too.

Meanwhile, some of those shops that can continue to trade are concerned because they lost business during the first shutdown because many people assumed they were shut.

David Dunning has been talking to retailers in the city.

Click and collect service

It’s not just the big supermarkets that people will be able to turn to during November.

At Blackwell and Denton on Colliergate you will still be able to buy a kettle from them during lockdown.

They won’t be open but they will run a click and collect service and will deliever too.

You can phone or go online. If you need something repaired they can pick it up for you.

Browns of York will be closing but it is looking to operate more online and take phone orders while it’s forced to shut.

They are also making the most of the next few days by staying open late until 7pm on Wednesday.

We’re still here

At Savers Health and Beauty, on Goodramgate, manager Caroline Holmes says many people think they will be shut but that’s not the case.

Caroline says they were quite quiet during the last lockdown because people thought they had been forced to close too. She hopes people will take advantage of the fact that she can stay open.

“You can even buy cosmetics, as well as medicines and vitamins and all your cleaning products,” she says.

Fresh food available

Swains Family Butchers first came to the market in 1997.

They will have to take the usual social distancing measures of course but David Swain says that he expects to see an increase in demand as more cooking is done at home. That was certainly what happened last time.

You can also buy fresh fish, cheese, fruit and veg from Shambles Market during lockdown.

All change for one family

For two business owners on Blossom Street the second lockdown will be a challenge.

In the Art-Deco building next door to Everyman Cinema, Ali Altin has only just moved in and launched Cutting Edge Barber Shop.

He’s an experienced hairdresser but this was his first solo business which he started three months ago. His mum, Ayfer Altin is just next door running The Blossom Café.

Ali must close on Thursday, while his mum will move to doing takeaways.

It will be a difficult period but Ali says he’s relaxed as “what happens happens”.

It’s disappointing, he says, but it’s beyond his control and now he hopes that he will be able to open again in December and take advantage of the pre-Christmas trade. It comes at a time when he was just starting to build a client base too.

Sadly not everyone can make different ways of operating work. We spoke to one cafe today who told us they’d tried takeaways last time but it wasn’t a success.

So the message from retailers in York is don’t assume they can’t help during Lockown 2.

Call or go online to see what your favourite store can offer.

Like the hospitality trade (apart from takeaways) many businesses will have no choice but to shut.

However you will be able to access a lot of goods in different ways and won’t need to rely solely on supermarket chains and Amazon.

You can leave a comment below to tell us what your business will be doing to get through the next few weeks.