Takings at a Keswick shop which has been allowed to stay open throughout lockdown have still plummeted by 80 per cent.
The gloomy news emerged when local business and tourism leaders held an online meeting with Keswick’s MP Trudy Harrison to discuss how the town would start its recovery when most shops are able to re-open on Monday 15th June.
Chris Harper, co-owner of Podgy Paws pet shop in Tithebarn Street, said turnover there had fallen to just 20 per cent since March. She added that current two-metre social distancing rules would have a negative impact on the likelihood of increasing that figure once lockdown restrictions were eased. Pet shops were among those which were allowed to remain open during lockdown.
Debbie Beament, of Newlands Adventure Centre and Keswick Climbing Wall, said local tourism businesses were essentially facing three successive winters and that the two-metre ruling meant it would be virtually impossible for activity providers to operate safely, if at all.
Mrs Harrison said the two-metre rule was under review with a view to reducing it to one metre if it was deemed safe to do so.
The Zoom meeting was organised last Friday by Keswick Tourism Association. KTA tourism manager Vanessa Metcalfe said: “This was a really positive meeting and a number of actions have been taken away by Mrs Harrison.
“KTA are committed to continuing to work closely with our member businesses, community leaders and other key stakeholder organisations so that our businesses can re-open whilst also ensuring the safety of residents and visitors. With this in mind, we have asked for a further meeting with Mrs Harrison along with Nigel Huddleston, parliamentary under-secretary for the department for digital, culture, media and sport once the guidance for hospitality businesses has been published.”
She said that with the phased exit from lockdown now underway, KTA was focusing on how its member businesses could open as soon and as safely as possible. It was “encouraging” that guidance for hospitality businesses was expected next week, she added.
Keswick Tourism Association Ltd was originally known as Keswick-on-Derwentwater Publicity Association when it was established in 1922. In 2004 it became a limited company and today has around 300 trade members from accommodation, retail, restaurants and visitor attractions.
