‘Businesses have to prepare to survive beyond Covid’
Of all the sectors embracing change to survive, Ms Hourican believes the food and hospitality has faced some of the greatest challenges.
A local entrepreneur says businesses will have to “bite the bullet” when it comes to adapting for a post-Covid environment.
Owner of Cavan's Chapter One, Grainne Hourican warns that some of those who don not may vanish from the retail landscape for good.
Ms Hourican made the comments after she successfully applied for planning permission to retain an auxiliary kitchen at her Cavan Retail Park business which specifically catered for take-away food orders. It also allows greater space for staff to socially distance safely.
Of all the sectors embracing change to survive, Ms Hourican believes the food and hospitality has faced some of the greatest challenges.
“So much has changed. Some of the change was probably coming anyways for a lot of people, I think, but Covid has really made them think about their businesses a lot more.”
It's not as simple as putting up a few sheets of perspex either, she adds.
Planning
Plans submitted to Cavan County Council for Chapter One are to form an additional usable space upstairs. Unit 6 is one of the only premises within the retail park with a second floor, and Ms Hourican intends to use part of the space for additional storage as well as staff facilities.
Make Space
This will make room for the auxiliary kitchen which was used to “supplement the main ground floor kitchen and is used in preparation, takeaway orders, and outdoor catering” according to documentation attached to the application.
“It also allows the staff to socially distance from each other which is vital in this pandemic.
“In order to help the staff further, the remainder of the first floor will be utilised to improve staff and storage facilities, which the store is currently lacking,” shed added in justifying the change.
Permission was ultimately granted by the council's planner with six conditions attached.
Takeaway
“We have to embrace takeaway as part of our business. It's not setting the world on fire, but like a lot of businesses in the same situation, we need to do what we can to survive. We introduced takeaway in the first lockdown and it grew, and then over the Christmas it really took off, which is brilliant, but it meant that we really had to take a look at ourselves, that if we're to do it and do it well, we'd have to make some changes.”
Ms Hourican hopes to get the work done in the immediate term. She expects to invest close to six figures to incorporating the alterations. It's a sizeable scale of investment, especially at a time when many other businesses are struggling badly.
Decisions
“It's been an outrageously difficult time for business. I don't know, but everyone seems to have the feeling this lockdown has been worse than the ones before. People are feeling this one a lot more I think.
“I'm confident my business can grow back, but to keep on track now is very hard. You have to make the changes now hoping that they'll be the right decisions for your business in the future. There are a lot of businesses I feel might never reopen after this lockdown, I'm very afraid that'll happen.”