Independent businesses throughout Eden are gearing up to face the new national lockdown.
Some are set to establish click and collect selling methods to get them through what promises to be a testing few weeks.
From Thursday, all shops selling non-essential items will have to close for four weeks as part of new national restrictions set to be imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Penrith businessman Kelvin Dixon, who runs lighting specialist Seagraves & Dixon, with his wife, Helena, said the new national lockdown which has been announced was probably a very necessary thing to have to happen, but from a business perspective is was the worst possible time of year to have to shut up shop.
The fear is that people will just go straight online and do their shopping there, said Mr Dixon.
“We are going to try and do a click and collect service to keep us going through this difficult time and people will still be able to contact us to discuss their lighting needs,” he said.
Mr Dixon added what makes Penrith special is all its small independent shops and he hopes they will all still be here after the lockdown comes to an end.
Amanda Simpson, owner of Penrith’s Creations Hair and Beauty Salon in Poets Walk, which has been established for 26 years, said they were really busy at the moment trying to get as many of their clients as they can booked in before Thursday — and people were also booking in appointments for December.
She said the staff had all agreed to work longer hours over the next few days.
“It is what it is. We would prefer not to have to do this, but we have to do what is necessary to keep people safe,” said Amanda.
Eden traders who attend Keswick market on a Thursday and a Saturday have yet to be told if they will be able to continue trading over the coming month.
Phil Byers, who runs Keswick market on behalf of Allerdale Borough Council, said they were still waiting to see what the government guidelines have to say and an announcement will be made after that.
