Covid: Businesses react to Welsh economy reopening

Businesses across Wales have reacted to First Minister Mark Drakeford's announcement about reopening the economy.

From Saturday, the Welsh Government will replace its "stay home" advice with "stay local" guidance.

Most non-essential shops will still remain closed until 12 April. A notable exception are hairdressers which open on Monday.

Some businesses supported the roadmap, while others have been critical.

Salon owner Catrin Jones, who runs Toriad Taclus in Llanybydder, is "looking forward" to reopening.

She said: "This is fantastic news, the news we've been waiting for for weeks and weeks.

"I'm looking forward to getting back in the salon. The phone has been non-stop since half past eight this morning."

Jane Baker, who has run a fabric and haberdashery store in Carmarthen Indoor Market since November 2019, is not so lucky and faces waiting up to a month to reopen.

Despite this she said the Welsh Government's approach was right in her view.

She told BBC Radio Wales: "I can't wait to be back to work. I am obviously missing everybody, all the other stallholders in the market obviously, plus all our customers.

"But [Mr] Drakeford I think is doing the right thing.

"Opening slowly and steadily. As much as I really want to get back to work we don't want to rush into things."

She stressed she felt this way despite she and fellow stallholders having "no income" since Christmas.

However Anna Knight, who runs gift shop Nest in Cardiff, said the announcement was "frustrating and disappointing".

"What's been frustrating has been that all the indications were leading us to believe that we were reopening next week," she said.

"We bought in stock, furloughed staff and cleaned up the store. It was all time and money."

While the roadmap was not "set in stone", Ms Knight said it was what businesses were "led to believe so it's incredibly disappointing".

"Also, the fact that big supermarkets are going to be able to sell non-essentials is a big blow to small independents across Wales," she continued.

"They have done really well out of the pandemic and continue to do well, while small independents lose out even though we support the local economy."

Ms Knight said she understood restrictions would have to be "eased gradually" but criticised the government for a lack of communication.

She added: "This whole year has been difficult, but then to have something dangled in front of you and taken away is frustrating and disappointing."

Sara Jones, head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, "welcomed" the firm date but said it was "a lot later than anticipated".

Ms Jones said: "It is frustrating and disappointing that it appears we may now be told we are a month away from stores being permitted to re-open.

"This apparent reversal has significant implications for a number of retailers, both in terms of the investments they have made in preparing to re-open next week and the huge loss of potential sales and trading over the crucial Easter trading period.

"Welsh retailers, already under immense pressure, will now creak under even greater strain."

Lloyd Ridgwell, CEO of Welsh furniture manufacturer and retailer SofaSofa, also questioned why hairdressers could reopen but not " large retail spaces" like theirs.

"I am really disappointed to still be in limbo and not 100 per cent clear on our opening date," he said.

"We were preparing to reopen, even provisionally booking in customer appointments to ensure this was done in a safe, controlled way.

"While I'm pleased some businesses will be able to get back to work - like hairdressers - it begs the question how salons are safer than large retail spaces such as ours?"

Their comments came as the first minister said he was "anxious" about reopening non-essential retail in Wales ahead of the same shops being reopened in England.

Mr Drakeford said it could act "as a perverse incentive for people to travel across the border."

Non-essential retail in Wales is scheduled to reopen on 12 April, the same date as England.

He added: "You don't want to create the conditions in which it is more tempting for people to do that."

He also defended his decision to allow shops, including supermarkets, to sell non-essential items from Monday - possibly a month ahead of fully reopening shops that have been closed.

Mr Drakeford said: "It is safer to do it with shops that are open already because they are already having to comply with all the strict standards that we strengthened in the regulations that we passed in the Senedd in January.

"So, we know that these are safe places to visit and I know that environmental health officers of local authorities will be visiting those settings in the coming week to make sure that they are ready to continue to operate in that way after the 22nd of March," he added.

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