Moana Duggan from Lakeside Takeaway: It has forced us to budget more, consider where our income comes from in terms of sales. While our lifestyle hasn’t changed too much, seeing our customers each day has kept us balanced and sane and vice versa. It has been great to see customers from different situations, like those home-schooling and enjoying it, and not enjoying it, farmers who are celebrating the rain we’ve had, those who have lost work, come together (at a social distance) to talk and form new friendships on their morning coffee run. There is a real sense of community and of being in this together.
Janet Callaghan from Painted Daisies Gift Shoppe: It has given me the chance to put more effort into my business online. I never would have done it otherwise. I think our locals also realise that times are tough, and they are shopping. We don’t get visitors anymore so local support is more important than ever.