lockdown - Neighbourhood Retailer

Customers queued out the door to see launch of revamped Craig’s Costcutter

Linda Stewart — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 13:21:14 +0000

The revamped Craig’s Costcutter store in Waterside had customers queuing out of the doors when they opened their doors during lockdown 2021.

The new 500 square metre shop, built to the rear of the older store, opened on St Patrick’s Day last year when the lockdown was still in place.

“When we opened, there was a lot of interest – there were queues outside the door and we had to have someone on the door nearly steady. Basically the first few weeks were just crazy – everybody wanted out of the house to look at something!” Andrew Craig says.

“It was tricky for everybody, you just had to keep on putting people on the door.”

At the time the shop was dealing with the pandemic restrictions and offering deliveries to its most vulnerable customers.

“We had only opened that shop and it was probably 9-10 months after the pandemic started, so there was a month when we were completely closed,” Andrew says.

“It’s your standard shop, deli, off licence, big fruit and veg section, all your standard confectioneries, wee post office in the corner, a wee ice cream counter.

“We’re actually making our own ice cream now too called Daisy Moos, that was just done for that shop. There’s a bigger range of deli food.”

On the forecourt itself are two double pumps selling petrol, diesel and kerosene.

“We don’t sell any Ad Blue at the minute, but we’ll probably get a stand on site. We haven’t actually got that sorted yet, we’re just trying to get everything sorted at the minute,” Andrew says.

“There are two car washes at the back – just a pull up self service, the power hose and the foam brush.”

To read the full feature, watch out for the next edition of Neighbourhood Retailer.

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Report reveals NI’s food and drinks sector is worth £5.5bn and employs 25,000

Linda Stewart — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 10:00:14 +0000

The agri-food sector in the region is now worth close to £5.5 billion, according to the annual Northern Ireland food and drinks processing report from Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera).

However, the figures typically show a lengthy time lag, and cover 2020, when the food and drink sector increased turnover by 0.9 per cent to £5,424 million.

Daera says that provisional estimates for 2021 project a 6.4 per cent increase to £5,769 million.

However, these are the two years covering lockdown, when hospitality and the foodservice industry were shut down for long periods, and people were largely consuming at home.

In the period covered by the latest report, the sector contributed 39.3 per cent to total manufacturing sales in Northern Ireland, up from 36.6 per cent in 2019. It also accounted for 42.5 per cent of external manufacturing sales and 26.8 per cent of export sales.

Between 2019 and 2020, sales were up significantly in Britain (by £107.7m) and in the Republic (up £13.3m) but decreased in Northern Ireland (down £0.3m), other EU countries (down £25.3m) and in the rest of the world (down £47.4m).

Britain remains the sector’s largest market, accounting for 48.9 per cent of sales in 2020, an increase from 47.3 per cent in 2019, though the data was collected before the implementation of the NI Protocol.

The estimated number of direct full-time employee equivalents in the food sector in Northern Ireland rose 0.8 per cent to 25,078, and is projected to grow further to 25,105 in 2021.

The value added by the sector to the Northern Ireland economy increased by 8.4 per cent to £1,088 million in 2020.

Michael Bell, executive director at the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) said: “Food and drink continues to be a key driver for growth in the region, remaining the largest manufacturing sector locally, accounting for over 30 per cent of total manufacturing employment.

“The figures relate to 2020, a challenging year for all industries at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the success of Northern Ireland food and drink in that period is a testament to the resilience of the sector, and its ability to rapidly respond to the challenges of the pandemic.

“But while the sector continues to grow, it remains hampered by the lack of a capital investment support scheme.

“We are at a stark competitive disadvantage to our regional neighbours, as the only jurisdiction on these islands without a capital support scheme.

“A comprehensive capital investment programme is essential for future proofing the industry, and would boost our ability to innovate in quality, productivity and sustainability.”

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Delivery service Moo To You to close as a result of rising costs

Linda Stewart — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 10:08:14 +0000

A food delivery service operated from Streamvale Farm in Belfast is to close as a result of rising costs.

The Moo To You service – which was first set up at the farm during lockdown – sourced local produce and meals and delivered them to people across Northern Ireland.

Founder Chris Wilson said he was “gutted” to be making the announcement and said many of their suppliers are “equally struggling”.

Mr Wilson said Saturday will be the last delivery day for Moo To You, but didn’t rule out future one-off services around Christmas.

“I am gutted to say that due to the continued increase in the cost of all our inputs, Moo is no longer viable,” he said.

“We have tried our best to avoid this but sadly many of our suppliers are equally struggling.

“It has been a crazy journey from when the first lockdown happened and I hit the road with just a few products to what we built as a team today… completing over 65,000 deliveries in just over two years.

“Moo To You was more than just a business to me and we built a fantastic community around what felt like an extension of my family.

“I firstly want to thank all of my team… drivers, food prep, office staff as well as all managers involved. They all worked extremely hard and at times in tough conditions to make sure all deliveries were made.

“Finally, I would like to thank all of you, our very loyal customers as without you this wouldn’t have been possible.

“The jobs we created and suppliers we supported during tough times is something we should all be proud of.

“I hope everyone will look back on Moo fondly and I wish you and your families all the best in the future. Our last delivery day will be Saturday the 9 of July.

“Let’s go out with a bang… make sure you get a chance this week to say thank you to all of our awesome drivers and the whole team. Thanks very much for everything.”

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Cake business faces ‘colossal’ money loss over Royal Mail delivery issues

Linda Stewart — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 10:32:34 +0000

Small business owner Lynsey Bleakley has spoken out over the “colossal” amount of money she’s lost after problems with Royal Mail deliveries over Christmas.

Lynsey Bleakley launched her Bumble & Goose business shortly before lockdown from a bakehouse built in the back garden of her family home at Ballyholme in Bangor.

During the pandemic she found there was huge demand for her treats which she ships throughout the UK via an online platform.

The company regularly ships across the UK using Royal Mail’s 24 service. On December 20 around 150 orders were dispatched, mostly to England.

“Unfortunately approximately 80 of those orders failed to arrive at their destination,” Ms Bleakley told UTV News.

“About 70 of them belonged to one corporate client that we were fulfilling a Christmas order for. They disappeared, and they didn’t arrive until about 18 or 19 days later.

“So we had spoiled goods – we make brownies and personalised biscuits, they only have a sell by date of two weeks, and we had to replace all of the orders.”

Lynsey estimates her business has been left with a loss of £3,200.

“I’m a small business, that is a colossal amount of money for me and it’s caused me many, many sleepless nights.”

Royal Mail has come under pressure in recent weeks, with the demand for delivery of Covid home testing kits and staff absences.

In a statement, a Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We apologise to this customer if she did not receive the service she expected from Royal Mail. The customer used RM24. This aims to deliver next working day but is not guaranteed. There is also no tracking information or compensation for this particular service.

“Every item of mail is important to us and we continue to remind colleagues that the delivery, collection and processing of letters and parcels should be treated with equal importance.”

Lynsey said using alternative delivery services hasn’t proved cost effective for her business and that she’s disappointed by Royal Mail’s handling of her complaint.

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Extended lockdown will come at a heavy cost to local independents, says Retail NI

Julie Nash — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 19:30:47 +0000

The extended lockdown until March will hit many independent retailers hard, Retail NI has said following the announcment by the Executive on 21st January.

Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said “This decision is not unexpected but will come at a heavy cost to the lockdown, cal economy. There will be many independent retailers who will be unable to survive this, particularly if it lasts until Easter”

Provide further support

“The Executive needs to step up and provide further support to independent retailers if they are to stand any chance of survival. Retail NI calls upon the Executive to include essential independent food retailers, who have lost trade and footfall, in the Financial Support Scheme. Many of these businesses are trying to trade in town and city centres which are virtual ghost towns, with most of their neighbouring businesses closed”

“It is blatantly unfair that local independent retailers who sell books, toys, clothes and homeware are still not being allowed to operate a click and collect service while large supermarkets can remain open, sell these products and continue to make sizeable profits.”

Lifeline needed

“If the Executive is serious about supporting small businesses then it needs to give these local independent retailers a lifeline by immediately permitting them to operate a click and collect service on a strict appointment only basis, which would be subject to strict inspection.”

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