HE has seen constant changes take place around him due to three lockdowns and Warrington’s tiered restrictions.

Zack Wells has also lost family members due to the devastating impact of Covid but each day he gets up, dusts himself down and goes into work.

The former Padgate High student runs Zack’s Pet Stop at Warrington Market as an essential trader and, like many other workers in the town, has become a symbol of resilience during the crisis.

So we caught up with the 26-year-old about what it has been like to work at the market throughout the pandemic – surrounded by shops with their shutters down.

“It has been very difficult at times but I’ve been trying to stay as optimistic as possible,” said Zack, who estimates he is about 40 per cent down on trade.

“The market has felt a lonely place at times. There has been the odd time when it’s been eerily quiet. That’s the town in general, not just the market.

“But in general it’s not been quite as bad as I expected it to be.”

Zack knows better than most why the restrictions are in place and what the stakes are though because he lost both his uncle Mark and great aunt Margaret to Covid in May 2020.

In the same year his grandma died after a stroke and a friend of the family had cancer. He even lost his Staffordshire bull terrier Floyd after 15 years.

Zack added: “My uncle was only 47 so that was a huge shock for our family.

“We didn’t really expect it. It came out of nowhere so that was difficult, particularly for my mum as it was her brother.

“It was tough for the family and last year was just horrible in general.

“What kept me going was just focusing on my family and the business. Keeping busy has kept my mind off things.”

It is the impact of Covid on his family that often makes Zack annoyed when he hears about people flouting the rules.

The Great Sankey resident added: “When it hits you personally it makes you realise how serious this virus is.

“At the end of the day it is not just themselves they are putting at risk but everyone else. To begin with it felt like a lot of people weren’t taking it very seriously.

“I must admit, I didn’t take it as seriously as I could have at the beginning but when it affects the people in your life, you quickly realise why all the precautions and restrictions are in place.”

Warrington Market

The new market was launched during the pandemic

Zack’s Pet Stop is one of nine essential shops currently open in the market. A small number of Cookhouse traders offer a delivery service at weekends too.

The independent trader – who has around 1,000 lines of pet supplies – has also launched his own delivery service to stay afloat.

Zack, who has a bearded dragon called Roger, an axolotl named Rose and lots of African land snails, said: “Some people have turned to online shopping during the lockdown but at the same time a lot of people have been going out of their way to support small Warrington businesses.”

He has run the shop for almost three years.

Zack added: “It’s bizarre that a big proportion of my time in the market has been in these strange times.

“One part that is very sad is the impact it has had on the launch of the new market.

“All that money has been spent on the move to Time Square and the market has not had it’s time to shine.

“But it does feel like we’re getting closer to that light at the end of the tunnel hopefully.

“I’m feeling much more optimistic now that the vaccine is getting rolled out. Hopefully that will build people’s confidence to come out when the time is right.

“I had my first dose on Wednesday and that has made me feel a little more confident.

“This crisis has affected everybody and all we can do is our best to keep on going.”

Warrington Market was recently recognised in two award ceremonies for doing just that.

It was named a ‘Market Hero’ as part of the National Association of British Market Authorities awards recognising resilience and creativity during the pandemic.

Warrington Market also recently won a Cheshire Life ‘Keep Life Local Award’ for ‘overcoming the odds’ in opening the new £11million facility during the coronavirus crisis.

Zack reckons the accolades are well deserved.

He said: “I think the market’s management and facilities team have worked very hard and all the traders that have remained open have done their best to support everybody around them while serving the people of Warrington.

“When we first opened in July we weren’t in a full lockdown then so it did well.

“But when the second lockdown came in, it knocked the new market for six.”