Optimism is high after roadmap but surviving day to day is tough

With boutique shops, long-running family stores, cafes and popular bars and restaurants, Stockton Heath is usually a bustling place for shopping and socialising.

But the ongoing coronavirus crisis and sustained periods of lockdown paint a very different picture of the village.

And while the Prime Minister’s ‘road map’ out of pandemic restrictions offers some hope, there is a sense among some traders that optimism is one thing but surviving day-to-day is another.

“For the independents, it’s a nightmare,” said Peter Wharfe, who has run family business All That Jazz for 30 years.

Peter is frustrated about the inconsistency around the lockdown rules.

During the first lockdown, his shop in The Forge was able to remain open as it sells hardware products and cleaning supplies but this time around the doors are shut for all but click and collect orders and deliveries.

He added: “We probably do a day’s taking in a week and that’s it. You’ve still got all your outgoings whatever you do.

“There’s no help with rent and insurance. All the staff are on furlough but you’ve still got PAYE (a method of paying income tax and national insurance contributions) and pensions to do.

“We can apply for loss of earnings in March but we won’t get much. This situation has played into the hands of the big companies.

Peter Wharfe runs All That Jazz

“You can go into a supermarket or garden centre and buy anything non-essential that you want. Why are people safer in those places than in here?”

If Boris Johnson’s ‘road map’ keeps to the provisional dates, shops like All That Jazz can reopen on April 12.

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“I think they’re trying to keep it quiet until after Mothers’ Day and Easter,” said Peter.

“Funnily enough we missed last Easter because of lockdown – we’ve still got all the old Easter stock – and now we’ll miss it again.”

Peter also said there is a concern among a lot of independent traders that it will be a slog even when all restrictions lift because habits have changed. People are more used to ordering online.

He added: “It’s played into Amazon’s hands and supermarket deliveries are more commonplace but we do have a lot of loyal customers.

“Hopefully, there will be a move back to the high street as it’s been looking pretty grim but I think there will still be lots of empty properties about. We’ll keep struggling on.”

Heather Ryder runs Living Colour Floral Design in London Road.

As well as a battle to keep her business running, she frequently has heart-breaking calls with customers whose weddings have not been able to take place.

“Some of them have been postponed five times,” she said.

“We have had three or four calls today – people are hoping they can go ahead by this summer.”

Heather’s team of six are mostly spending their time on flexible furlough.

They are brought back when needed such as during Valentines’ weekend.

Heather added: “I’ve got a really big job for Boohoo so I’ve been able to bring the girls back for that too.

“The flexible furlough has been really helpful. Without the furlough I don’t think I would have had a business as I couldn’t have afforded to pay them.”

Heather is also cautious about hanging all her hopes on the ‘road map’.

Heather in Living Colour

She said: “People have got very excited about the ‘road map’ out of lockdown but there are no guarantees. The dates are provisional. There is nothing definite – it’s just ‘from this date, these things might be open’.

“I’m all for optimism but I feel like it’s been beaten out of us a bit.

“What annoys me is that supermarkets can sell everything that we sell but we’re not allowed to open. That is what I have found the most frustrating thing as an independent business all the way through it.

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“We’re doing well on everyday sales but we’re having to fight hard to get the business in.

“When we opened up in summer it was brilliant. We were selling loads more house stuff because no one could go away.

“But at Christmas I lost 18 big contracts to decorate pubs and restaurants.

“I do wreath making classes so I diversified and brought it online by making DIY kits and a video for people to follow at home. You’re always having to fight hard to survive.”

Nevertheless, the spirit of enterprise in Stockton Heath has seen new businesses launch in the village despite the pandemic.

Kate McIntyre’s family opened the gift shop, Bells and Whistles, and coffee shop, Brew, in the London Road units they owned because they had no tenants.

The former Bridgewater High student said: “Bells and Whistles only opened in September and it’s difficult because you start to build up a rapport with customers and then we had lockdown just as we were getting going.

Kate McIntyre and Matteo Johnson at Brew

“But it’s picked up. People have realised we have an offering online and the lockdown has forced everybody into this digital world whereas previously we were very much of the model of customers coming in for a chat.

“This end of the village is picking up a bit more now and I think our coffee shop Brew has helped with that.

“Tomahawk steakhouse will also be opening where Bistrot Pierre was. We had a few empty shops here but hopefully by the summer I think this end could be booming again.

“Once people are able to get out I think they’re going to support the local businesses because they’ve realised if they don’t, they won’t survive.

“They’ve got rents and mortgages and rates and all sorts of costs.”

Kate, a freelance TV presenter, lives in London. She is back in Stockton Heath to support her mum Carole.

Her dad Paul, a well-known Warrington businessman, died last year just before the family opened Brew.

It is the longest she has spent in Stockton Heath since she was a teenager and she said the crisis has made it feel like a very different village.

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She added: “The roads are very quiet at the moment but there is a steady flow of people out on walks.

“But you normally have people dining out and that’s all missing. It’ll be nice as we move towards summer if people are able to eat outside in small groups or family bubbles.

“Everyone wants to see that life back in the village. Stockton Heath is usually a very vibrant place.”

Another new business is Anchor and Hops in Walton Road.

The craft beer shop opened in December and is open for people to buy cans and bottles but owner Chris Kelly will not be able to serve draught ale until at least May 17, according to the ‘road map.

Chris launched the business where the short-lived tapas bar Bocaditos used to be after being made redundant from his job at Salopian Brewery.

He said: “It’s been bizarre to open during a lockdown but at the same time it’s been nice for the business to be a little staggered to get my head around ordering the stock and seeing what works and what doesn’t.

Chris Kelly in Anchor and Hops

“I’ve already started to get a loyal customer case. You can almost set your clock by certain people coming in on a certain day.

“It’s nice to have built that rapport before we’ve got the taps running. It will mayhem in June when everyone is allowed out.”

Chris reckons Boris Johnson’s slow and steady plan for reopening England is ‘a sensible way of doing it’.

He added: “We can’t go back into another lockdown. Would I like to be able to open as a bar a little earlier in the year? Yes. But we’ll be fully prepped and raring to go.

“I think what lockdown has pushed to the forefront of people’s minds is supporting local businesses. If you don’t use it, you lose it.

“Trying to put a positive spin on the past year is ridiculous but people definitely do care more about local and Stockton Heath has always been a place that has supported independents.”

Powered by Plants in London Road is also relatively new to Stockton Heath.

The plant-based and ethically sourced wholefoods store used to be under the arches in Crown Street and moved at the end of October.

Powered by Plants has been open throughout as an essential trader but conditions have not been easy.

“I’ve never seen the street so quiet,” said Carl Hammond, who runs the shop with his partner Becky Entwistle.

“When we opened here at the end of October it was great – plenty of business.

“But since the December lockdown I think everyone has been instilled with a massive amount of fear.

“We’ve still had people shopping but it’s nothing like what it was in October.

“It’s difficult for us because we’re trying to trade in what has strangely become a quiet street.

“When the rest of the shops are open it’s bustling. At the weekend people come out for a wander around and a coffee but it’s just not the same

Powered by Plants owner Carl Hammond

“I’d say we’ve got at least a 30 per cent downturn in business.

“It’s a mixed bag of emotions because I think if we’d stayed in Crown Street we would have disappeared because it got quieter and quieter in the town.

“Then we had to use any available money to renovate this place.

“At that point we didn’t know there would be a further lockdown and we’re now looking at June until normality resumes.

“It’s tough but what can you do?

“Things will only improve when people can go about their business the way did before without this fear factor.”