Reflecting on an unexpected December, Holly Wilson, owner of North London’s Prep Cookshop and Richard Dare says it was “utterly devastating to close with three hours notice during our busiest week.” Her cookshops were among those in London and the south east that had to close just five days before Christmas, when the region moved into the new tier 4. Holly reflects: “The lack of forethought was shocking.”
She describes trade while open in December as “up on last year, which was phenomenal considering we could only have four customers in store at a time.” Holly describes support from local customers as “more than we could ever have hoped for.” She explains: “We worked hard to turnover customers as fast as we could alongside serving people in the queue.”
In the final days before Christmas, Holly’s shops continued to offer “a click and collect service of sorts,” as well as during two days before the new year.” However she describes this (and her trade via Trouva) as “a drop in the ocean,” compared to predicted trade for the end of the year. Moreover, she had “downed tools” on her shops’ website (which is still in progress) in order to get her stores ready for the final weeks of 2020 trade, so was unable to gain from direct online sales.
By Christmas, Holly’s shops had not received grants for their November closure. Holly states: “I’m not holding out much hope for any real support being forthcoming.” She reflects that she –along with fellow independents on her streets – felt “thoroughly abandoned in the week that supports us for the rest of the year.”
Holly also highlights the “lack of consistency across local authorities.” She elaborates: “So many cookshops have been allowed to open either as essential or as hardware shops. I have spoken to both of my councils and they will not change their mind and reclassify me. It seems crazy. When so many people are having to cook at home, cookshops seem more essential than ever.”
* Following Boris Johnson’s lockdown announcement yesterday evening, Holly confirms that her shops will continue to offer click and collect while their doors remain shut in the forthcoming months.
* Holly Wilson is the author of From the frontline in Progressive Housewares magazine.
Top: Holly Wilson outside Prep in Stoke Newington in December before the news that London was subject to new tier 4 restrictions.
