The government has been pushing for employees to go back to work in its efforts to revive the ghost town city centres. The latest campaign “back to work” is slated to argue about the limitations of working from home and will also warn about the adverse effects on the worker’s mental health in a bid to boost the retail sector and “sandwich shops.”
Most businesses are gearing up to ensure that they have established a Covid-19 secure workspace in line with all Public Health England’s guidelines around social distancing and wearing masks amidst risks of a second Covid-19 wave. But some independent shops are unlikely to join the government’s push to get workers back to the office, after enjoying a boost in sales with a drop in commuting.
All Seasons DIY in Birmingham, a shop selling tools and other items used in the home and on activities such as gardening has reportedly picked up sales since lockdown was announced in early March. Speaking to The Guardian, the owner Surinder Josan said, “We entered the lockdown quite nervous thinking we would have to coast for six months … so we stayed closed for two weeks and spent that time clearing up and tidying up. While we were doing that our lights were on and the doors were closed and people were knocking asking to purchase stuff for repairs, and the phone was ringing.
“Then when the sun was shining, people came more. We put a notice outside saying, ‘Wait outside to be served’, and we were serving people one by one and using PPE. We tried to do the best we could.Whereas queues at big stores were horrendous and getting something online would take weeks, customers were coming back to us and we saw customers we had never seen before.”
Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), said members in suburban areas and towns had reported positive sales throughout lockdown as they benefited from businesses that would usually go to those working in the city centre.
He said, “You won’t find us on this call to get people back to the office for many reasons. I think that horse has bolted, and I understand why people are calling for it but people will come back on a more flexible approach … City centres now have to think, with fewer people commuting, what do we do to bring people back in?”
