TRADERS in Penarth have been reacting to the news that Wales will enter a two-week fire-break lockdown period, beginning on Friday at 6pm.

On Monday first minister Mark Drakeford said Wales will go into a lockdown period in an attempt to halt the rising trajectory of cases across the country.

While Penarth has been in local lockdown for four weeks now, hospitality settings such as cafes and pubs have been able to continue operating with social distancing in place.

But the new restrictions are stricter, and the Welsh government has ordered all hospitality settings to close, other than for takeaway or delivery services.

Matt Holland, who owns café deli Willmore’s 1938 alongside partner Charlotte Court, says he feels the industry has been unfairly tarnished again.

“There is a stigma attached to the hospitality industry that we spread this virus, and I don’t know why,” he said.

“We have operated all the necessary Covid-proofing measures, and we’ve not been contacted by anyone telling us we may have aided the spread of the virus.

“I think it’s a lot more likely the case rate has increased due to students returning to universities.”

Penarth Times: Matt HollandMatt Holland

Willmore’s will now miss three weekends of footfall. In recent weeks they have taken 50 per cent of their earnings on Fridays and Saturdays, while a new Sunday dinner menu has been a hit.

“We were sold out for Sunday this week and it will hit us hard not having those weekends, but we’ll continue to operate a delivery service and we’ve already put together a takeaway menu with the help of new chef Damian Jones.”

They have had to furlough four staff members for the lockdown, and Mr Holland is hoping to get back to some form of normality from November 9, but he says he is not expecting that to be the case.

Sian Fox, who runs Foxy’s café and deli, says she also believes cafes and pubs in Penarth have been unfairly judged.

“My daughter is at university and knows lots of people who have coronavirus - I don’t think that’s a coincidence,” she said.

Penarth Times: Sian FoxSian Fox

“I’m grateful for phase three of the ERF (Economic Resilience Fund) which gives us a grant of £10,000, and has helped us expand what we are doing online.

“Our deliveries have risen since the announcement on Monday. Similar to the last lockdown, when competition rises for supermarket delivery slots, people have come to us, and that’s what has got us through. I hope it will again.

“I don’t know where it will end. I feel like we’ll have this lockdown and then we’ll have a month of trading indoors, and then there’ll be another one.”

Angelina Hall, head of the Penarth Business Group and joint owner of Glass by Design, says the timing of the lockdown will inevitably hit traders hard.

“With my retailer hat on, three weeks ago a lockdown would have meant curtailing the spread more effectively and would have given us November and December to trade as well as possible given the circumstances,” she said.

Penarth Times: Angelina HallAngelina Hall

“That is now unlikely, and traders are going to lose a chunk of Christmas shopping time. The danger then is that Mr Amazon will take everyone’s orders. I can’t stress enough how important to us it is that people order from us.”

Plans are now under way to create a Penarth-based website where shoppers are able to order from independents and have items delivered, although Mrs Hall says those discussions are not yet at an advanced stage.

Mel Griffin, who owns Griffin Books and has helped organise this year’s shop local Fiver Fest campaign, has welcomed ideas about a new website or a digital system where online shoppers can click on a store and order items.

Penarth Times: Mel GriffinMel Griffin

John Davies, editor of Penarth View who has been helping numerous businesses to diversify in lockdown, added: “Fiver Fest has shown people want to support traders, and I’m sure that will be the case after lockdown.

"This is a blip, but our businesses are resilient, and I’m confident they can get through this.”