As with every business going just now, Covid has had a pretty heavy effect on how things are running. Back in March when it started to become clear that this was going to hit and have a profound effect on us all, I knew things weren’t going to be good for those businesses depending on weddings and other events - i.e. me.
My husband started working from home the week before schools were closed (he runs his own business too), and initially it was a bit of a novelty being home together. However that same week, was also when the phonecalls starting coming in to postpone or cancel orders and appointments. Within those first 2 weeks - 90% of my summer trade disappeared. Roll on a week and the full lockdown was announced...with a bit of a delay before the government support package was detailed (that was a fraught weekend). With the schools closed, it was “lucky” I had very limited summer business otherwise I’d never have been able to get through the home learning with the kids.
Having launched a bridal collection and hat hire service literally as covid hit - I seriously began to question my judgement, however there was nothing to do but get on with it. So I became the pretend school teacher (god I was awful) and continued designing and making to add to the hat rental collection as and when I got the time (which wasn’t often) in the hope that there would be a bumper wedding season when all this was over. It seemed like ages before the school summer holidays came - but they did, finally a break from schoolwork, a few days on beautiful Skye and the start of a few signs of recovery in that I began to get requests for appointments from customers (albeit a very small number) again.
Fortunately those appointment requests have continued - and although they are still in very small numbers and won’t replace summer’s lost income, I am eternally grateful to every single customer that has placed an order. I always was, even before this mess started, but right now, they’re such a lifeline. And I’ve never been so thankful that I didn’t go through with a lease on a new studio last year! Every cloud eh?
