Heysham shop owner says independent shops are being destroyed by national lockdown rules

A Heysham businessman says he is 'desperate' for support to help local independent shops being decimated by the current lockdown guidelines.
Tom Barker, who runs Time for Flowers in Heysham Road.Tom Barker, who runs Time for Flowers in Heysham Road.
Tom Barker, who runs Time for Flowers in Heysham Road.

Tom Barker, who runs Time for Flowers in Heysham Road with his wife Chantelle, said the national lockdown is killing small shops such as his, while large chains are able to take advantage.

And he admitted the situation could see his business fold if it doesn't improve soon.

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Time for Flowers sells unique and bespoke Christmas decorations, displays and wreaths which would normally see customers flocking to the premises, with the last week in November traditionally the busiest for shops.

However, Tom said while they would usually be selling wreaths by the dozen, they have so far sold just a couple online.

And he said their average November trade of around £30,000 is expected to be just £10,000 this month.

The shop had a small adjoined cafe which has already been forced to close due to the regulations, with the loss of one member of staff. Their traditional trade from the wedding industry has also disappeared.

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Government help for the ailing shop during the pandemic has been just £1,300 - which Tom said will barely cover the utility bills, let alone any salaries and other overheads.

"My family's livelihood relies 100 per cent on this business," he said.

Tom is urging the government to give more support to independent shops, and agrees with the views of other local businesses who this week asked that Lancaster district be treated separately from the rest of the county once the national lockdown ends.

A host of businesses and organisations across the district have asked that the Lancaster City Council area be judged on its own statistics, rather than be grouped in with the county of Lancashire as a whole.

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Pub landlords, restaurant owners, solicitors, security firms, small businesses and shops are among those to sign a joint letter, which has been sent to the county representative for Public Health England as well as Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council.

It argues that the Covid-19 infection rate figures for the Lancaster district are not only significantly lower than the county average, but also well below the national average.

"I am not disputing the need for the lockdown," Tom said. "It's that it's not a fair playing field because while we have had to completely close, other businesses are able to let someone in to buy a pint of milk and while they are there they can do their Christmas shopping.

"They have got an unfair advantage, and it's the small guys that are affected.

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"Because the lockdown was short notice we were left with about £1,000 worth of flowers that we couldn't shift, and I am looking at £10,000 worth of Christmas decorations that people are unable to buy from us.

"I can keep people safer in my shop than a supermarket can because we have a strict two-person rule and we can monitor where people are.

"If they had said that essential items could be sold but not the luxury and non-essential items, like the Wales model, then it would have helped, but the customers we fight for every year as an independent have now been handed over to the big retailers.

"We don't know how long the lockdown is going to last, and by that point everyone will have bought their decorations and Christmas gifts.

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"The last week is November is the busiest week of the year for us."

Morecambe MP David Morris has urged people to 'shop local' to help out independent stores during the pabdemic.

He said: "The closure of non-essential retail whilst preventing the spread of Covid-19 is having a negative impact on many small business in Morecambe and Lunesdale and I have made this case to Government so they are able to reopen as soon as possible.

"Whilst there is Government support available for those who have been forced to close the best thing we can all do to help is to shop local as much as we can.

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"All shops are able to remain open for deliveries and click and collect. Whilst shops may not be open in the conventional way due to lockdown we can still buy things from them and support businesses so they are able to remain profitable whilst protecting each other from the spread of Covid-19."

While Time for Flowers does operate online as well as a click and collect and delivery service, this only amounts to around 20 per cent of their usual trade.

"Overall we are probably about 60 per cent down on what we would normally be doing," Tom said.

"We would bring in £30,000 in a normal November and we will struggle to do about £10,000 this year.

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"This is having a major impact on us. My family is 100 per cent dependent on this business and we have another seven staff as well.

"I can't hand on heart sit here and say we will survive this, and it is insulting that the Chancellor has said that viable businesses will survive, because we just don't know. These are unprecedented times and we couldn't plan for this.

"We are desperate because this is our livelihood."

Lancaster City Council announced this week that grants are now available to support businesses affected by the move into Tier 2 restrictions in September and Tier 3 in October, and the subsequent national lockdown.

Coun Erica Lewis, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “We know local businesses urgently need this funding and that for some it will come too late. We have been pleading with government to finalise the guidelines so that application processes could be opened, and payments made as fast as possible."