It's no doubt the Greater Sydney lockdowns are having a trickle-down effect on the regions - the South Coast included. With our villages some of the most beautiful in the state, making them desirable day trip destinations (I may be a little biased, but it's true), a lot of our local small businesses are aching from experiencing significantly slower trade due to our usual visitors being locked down.
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Last week, I touched base with some of our local business owners to see how they were faring from the effects of the lockdown. Now, in my job I have the privilege of speaking with spectacular people from all walks of life. And one of my favourite things about being a local journalist is discovering those spectacular people live among us - in abundance - on the South Coast.
Many business owners I spoke to were teary-eyed as they reflected upon the last year and a half, counting off the bushfires, floods and the ongoing COVID-19 crisis as hurdles they have had to overcome. When recounting how it felt to be experiencing the effects of this lockdown, one business owner shared that it was difficult to not walk down a usually-bustling Owen Street in Huskisson without shedding a few tears. Another's eyes welled up as she reflected on the 2020 lockdown, where having to let go 35 staff, who are "like family" to her, became a potential reality.
Something that struck a chord with me after speaking with each business owner was the incredible strength they showed - even through these challenging times, each person shared silver-linings, gratitude and messages of optimism. Annie Aldous, the owner of the clothing store Aquatique, along with Leigh Scully and Bonnie Armstrong, the owners of pyjama and giftware shop Bliss & Co, expressed their immense gratitude for the community for supporting them by shopping locally. Rai Schornegg, the owner of Candleberries in Berry also reflected on how after the last lockdown in 2020, he experienced some of the best trade, and is optimistic he will garner the support once we're on the other side of the pandemic.
Shoalhaven Council has started its Spend Here This Year campaign, calling on the community to boost local businesses by exploring their own backyard and shopping local. While COVID puts a financial strain on the wider community with people not able to work as much as they're used to, if you're in the position, now is the time to explore our own beautiful backyards.
Grace Crivellaro - Journalist