COVID-19 has hit businesses hard, industry leaders say, as customers have been told to stay at home and non-essential businesses told to close throughout three national lockdowns.
But there are businesses in Hereford bucking the trend, with new independent restaurants among those to be moving in to the city centre.
Despite stark warnings from the Federation of Small Businesses in January that at least 250,000 small firms were set to go out of business without more help, and one in seven small companies expecting to cut jobs, vacant shop units are being snapped up in Hereford.
In the city’s Old Market Shopping Centre, two empty restaurants now have new tenants.
A Korean barbecue is set to open in what was ChimiChanga, and now a new Asian buffet is moving into neighbouring premises.
It is hoped the restaurant, named Amazing Asia, will be ready to open in the next 10 weeks in the former Prezzo building.
A spokesman for the restaurant said the 120 seater venue would also have outside seating and 80 items available of Indian and Thai cuisine.
The news of the two new tenants comes after the Beefy Boys expanded into the former Frankie and Benny’s unit at the centre.
In Widemarsh Street, the Yorkshire Wrap opened for the first time on Monday.
The shop said it would have vegetarian options alongside its traditional roast beef Yorkshire wrap when it opened where the West Cornwall Pasty Company used to be.
A short walk away in the independent quarter, Seedlings Cards and Gifts has opened in Church Street.
To mark 10 years of Seedlings, owner Sarah-Jane Mercer said she was thrilled to open her first bricks and mortar shop.
The move came after a successful 2020, where Sarah-Jane Mercer felt more people had been turning to gardening due to the stay at home messages.
She opened the shop in December, but was forced to close later that month as Herefordshire was moved to Tier 3 restrictions before New Year’s Eve.
“It feels like we’re opening for the first time again. It’s exciting,” she said.
“It did take us by surprise, the most recent lockdown, but we’re so excited to open again and welcome everybody. We had a lovely December when we were allowed to open.
“We’ve been online for a number of years and we’d never really thought of having a shop before, until we found Church Street.”
Laura Hall, who has just moved her business Hey, Honey to Church Street from Capuchin Yard, said on Monday that she felt people want to support local where they can.
She said that although Hey, Honey – described as “purveyors of all things bees” – is niche, her customers like the fact there is always something new in store.
Her thoughts were echoed by Juliette Howard, who owns Forget-Me-Nots card and gift shop in Kington. She said that although people had been supportive of her click-and-collect during lockdown, she was happy to be back open.
She feels people are more willing to shop local after the coronavirus pandemic, and says they have realised what they can get locally, without travelling further afield.
Victoria Garlick also recently moved into her High Street shop with her traditional sweet shop Sweet Sensations by Victoria.
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