By Deirdre Huston Hassocks high street has been through some tough times, and seen many changes, but the Coronavirus Crisis this year has been one of the strangest periods that many of us can remember. Some shops were able to keep trading and served the local community diligently by working long hours, putting themselves at risk and through providing deliveries where possible. Hassocks Hardware was very busy, and it was common for a queue to stretch from its door as residents purchased essential items. The pet shop enabled locals to maintain high standards of animal care, while local corner shops and supermarkets provided options for shoppers who couldn’t obtain online slots. Twine, the butchers, was open mornings and also undertook deliveries across local areas on various days. Another example was Hassocks Eyecare Centre, which was contracted by the NHS to remain open offering urgent and essential eyecare throughout lockdown. “We furloughed most of the team,” explained Vicki Macken, “since it was clearly not ‘business as usual’, but Paul and I as business owners had to become receptionist, dispensing optician, technician and delivery driver as well as being optometrists! The practice looks transformed with plastic screens everywhere and we are now accustomed to rustling as we walk with the plastic aprons on.” Circumstances and government regulations to prevent the spread of Covid-19 required many of our local businesses to close, and, this summer, it’s a relief to see many of these businesses opening their doors again.
To read more about what Vicki had to say and to find out about other shops in the high street, pick up an August copy of Hassocks Life today.