“From this evening, I must give the British public a very simple instruction. You must stay at home,” said PM Boris Johnson.

That was the announcement back in March 2020 followed by two more periods of restrictions to daily life.

Since then, many questions have been asked; how will lockdown impact the mental health crisis? How can individuals and families survive financially? And what does this mean for the traditional high street?

According to The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), around 250,000 small firms are set to close this year under combined pressure from the pandemic and Brexit.

Its recent survey revealed a "huge cost" ahead for employment without additional support from the Government to help mitigate the challenges faced by its members.

Research by retail analyst Springboard suggested that shoppers are only returning to high streets gradually, with footfall still 28.7 percent lower than pre-pandemic levels - more than a month after all non-essential retail opened.

As retailers and the hospitality sector reopen in the wake of the pandemic; the outlook is not all doom and gloom.

Louise Davies, The Drunk Candle Company, The Shambles

While some locals are upset to see beloved shops go, they’re even more baffled by the fact that new shops are moving in. After all, who wants to open a new business in the middle of a pandemic?

This is a question Louise Davies has heard many times.

Louise opened The Drunk Candle Company on the Shambles months before the second lockdown in November.

“It was more the people that didn’t know us who were astonished,” she said. “I thought: what is the worst that could happen?”

Louise has always wanted to be a business owner but did not know how to start.

“My favourite things are candles and alcohol, so I thought ‘well, there must be a market out there to combine the two’ and make a niche product.”

Louise spent six months honing her craft, experimenting with scents and selling the candles at various markets. She noticed the empty shop on the Shambles and the rest is history.

“Malton is forever growing; I have lived in the area for nearly 20-years and the high street has changed so much even in that time,” she said.

“People are seemingly changing their consumer habits during the pandemic. However, it does not necessarily mean it’s in favour of the high street. People who turned to online shopping have realised that it is quite convenient.

“The problem with high street shops is rents and business rates are so high and it’s difficult to build your profit without any customers during lockdown.”

Chris Turner, Yo Bakehouse and Lutt & Turner, Malton

At the end of 2019, the hospitality sector was the third-largest employer in the UK. Now? According to UK Hospitality, the pandemic has resulted in more than 660,000 job losses and 40 per cent decrease of revenue.

However, some businesses have weathered the storm. “I can proudly say we have not lost a single job. If anything, we have created new roles,” said Chris Turner, owner of Yo Bakehouse and Lutt & Turner.

For Chris and his husband, David, their initial reaction to the announcement of lockdown in March was the financial welfare of their staff.

“We closed for redecoration a few weeks before the lockdown announcement. I had this sinking feeling in my stomach, and I said to my colleague Jo: ‘I feel like I’m planning a party, and no one is going to come.’

“Then BOOM, the Government closed everything. My initial worry was our staff. I knew we could not support them. As a small business, we do not have the financial reserves like bigger corporations.

“Our team thought lockdown would be a three-week break, then Bob’s your uncle, back open again. That was not the case.”

Without the Government’s furlough scheme and financial support from Ryedale District Council, Chris says his business may not have survived.

“As the financial support started creeping in, it was a massive weight off my shoulder,” he said.

“Furlough was paramount to our survival, and I cannot fault the council. For example, a new grant was announced on Monday and by Friday, the money was in our bank account without any intervention."

James McMillan, McMillans of Malton

While the forced closure of the hospitality sector caused many businesses to crash, alcohol retailers have reported a spike in sales.

James McMillan, of McMillans of Malton, said that the increase in alcohol consumption at home has produced a “huge growth” in the brand’s retail channels, which has boosted his online business.

“Consumers have definitely shifted the home drinking habits, and they’re not just looking for simple serves anymore,” James said.

“They miss their more sophisticated cocktails and because people have been stuck at home, they’ve had the time to explore how to make drinks they miss. They’ve also been able to experiment with spirits they may not have bought previously, such premium gin and whisky, which is fantastic to see.”

The father son duo (James and Jim) decided to move their premises before the first lockdown to allow future expansion. However, the pandemic has put the brakes on any future projects. 

“To think our dream could fade overnight was a scary thought,” said James. “The unknown of the pandemic was bad enough, let alone wondering when our next sale would be.

“We invested money into our website and delivery service to cushion the fall. The demand for a variety of alcohol was so high we expanded our stock to wine.

“It is wrong to say the high street is dead – it absolutely is not. People need to remember their small independents because once they’re gone, you’re missing out.”

Davina Beecham, The Beecham Weigh, Malton

Starting a business and planning for its future once involved bricks and mortar, shelves, tills and customers walking through your door. Not in the pandemic.

Even before the coronavirus lockdown, online shopping was flying high. Research by the analysts Retail Economics found that 53 per cent of retail sales are expected to be online by 2028.

In the wake of coronavirus, it seems likely this trend will only accelerate.

“The increase in online shopping has been detrimental to small businesses and it might take longer to see pre-covid profits,” said Davina Beecham, the owner of The Beecham Weigh, a health food and alternative therapies shop.

Davina, a former midwife, decided to take over the family business before the first lockdown in March 2020. Although the essential business had a profitable year – especially in the festive season – the third lockdown was a challenge.

“The weather was rubbish and our businesses fell short of entitlement to any financial grants from the Government. We had to think on our feet to pay our mortgage and live. How can this be right? Our business is slipping through the net.

“Malton has been fairly quiet since reopening in April. People have become accustomed to staying at home and ordering online. It is challenging to convince customers to invest in their local economy and stop clicking the button.

“I’m worried our high street could regress to five or 10 years ago. If we all spent £5 a week in local shops, instead of online or at national companies our towns would thrive. Little changes make a massive difference.”

Liz Kemp, Kemps General Store, Malton

“It was a feeling of not having control over your destiny,” explains Liz Kemp. She isn’t referring only to Covid - Liz decided to uproot Kemp's General Store and move next door a month before the second lockdown was announced.

It may not appear the most auspicious time to shift a business. The UK has been in lockdown for five of the past 11 months. The store had been open a total of nine weeks before the third lockdown was announced. But Liz is optimistic.

“It has been a stressful time because everything was constantly changing,” she said.

“The parameters of financial support provided by the Government were always changing. You would decide, know what your business plans are, then suddenly the guidelines would change again.

“Our biggest decision was moving our business next door. It does not sound like a big upheaval, but the process was challenging.

“We kept looking at the vacant store and decided ‘now or never.’ It was a risk to do it, and a risk not too.”

“It is impossible for independent retailers to compete with Amazon prices, but we can compete with customer service, interesting choices and creating a personal connection.

“Everyone is doing everything they can to prevent another lockdown and I feel positive about a high street bounce back. However, we cannot be complacent.”

What is the future of the high street in Malton?

According to the Federation for Small Businesses (FSB), confidence amongst small businesses in North Yorkshire, the Humber & North East has moved into positive figures for the first time since 2019, now sitting at 30 percent.

"Businesses that have gone above and beyond throughout the pandemic to protect customers, spending huge sums of money to make their venues Covid-secure,” said Carolyn Frank, North Yorkshire Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) development manager.

“Retailers are finding it tough, but there are good news stories as well. The smallest retailers are thriving against the odds by flexing their offer, using digital to reach new audiences and continuing to provide the best personalised customer service. Government, both locally and nationally, needs to support our high streets because they are so important to communities.”

Ryedale District Council (RDC) has provided more than £24 million in business grants during the pandemic. It has processed 100 percent of grant applications, placing it in the top 25 for councils concerning processing speed.

The council has also launched a ‘Welcome Back to Ryedale’ campaign to remind people to explore, enjoy and support local businesses that have reopened safely.

Phillip Spurr, Programme Director for Economic Development, Business and Partnerships for Ryedale District Council explained: “Businesses in Ryedale have been exemplary in sticking to Government restrictions and continue to do what they can to help keep citizens and visitors safe.

“They’re reopening now after a difficult and ever-changing time and it’s vital that citizens explore, enjoy and support local businesses.”

Are you returning to the high street to support your local businesses?