Willmore's 1938 have recruited local chef Damian Jones in a bid to grow and diversify their way out of the COVID-19 hospitality crisis.

Most small businesses across South Wales have been shedding staff and cutting costs in recent months due to a dramatic fall in footfall. But Matt Holland and Charlotte Court, partners in life and in business, believe attack is the best form of defence.

"We're spending money to try and make money, always diversifying and changing our business," Matt tell Nub News.

"Times are weird, so you have to roll with the punches really. We've got this new £1000 outside heating system because people still feel more comfortable eating outside. We're speaking to the council about taking the outside area for 24-hours a day so we can have a fully lighted and heated area there. We're constantly holding events and working with other local businesses, and now we've obviously taken on Damian."

Damian joined the team on Wednesday. Matt explains the decision to bring in a chef in the middle of local lockdown.

"Charlotte has been spending most of her time in the kitchen, but because of that we've not been developing as quickly as we'd like - just trundling along. We're from Penarth and we're all about community, so we need to be down here interacting with customers and discussing ventures with other businesses.

"We're really proud to get him in to be honest. We've known him for a long time and he's the perfect person to help us grow and adapt during this difficult time."

Damian Jones is no stranger to cooking in Penarth. He grew up here and has spent his entire working life in restaurants in Cardiff and the Vale.

He says he was always likely to become a chef.

"The first restaurant I worked in was the Sully House back when I was 16-years-old.

"I'm one of six. Mum was a really good cook and dad was a policeman so in some ways it kind of makes sense that I became a chef.

"My older brother was a chef and then my twin brother and I became chefs as well. We used to go in and see my older brother when he was working in Sully House and then we left school at 16 to go to catering college.

"I got a job in Sully House and my twin got a job at the Caprice so there was some healthy competition there."

Nub News asks which twin is the better chef.

"Oh me, but he'd say he is. Now he works in the Marie Curie Hospice."

Much of Damian's professional life has been spent with Bar 44, the South Wales-based Tapas restaurant. He helped the franchise open its popular Cowbridge branch in 2002.

Eleven years later, he left Bar 44 to hold his own private functions, even running a Champions League event with Gareth Bale in Cardiff.

"I then rejoined Bar 44 a few year ago but at 58 I'm ready for a new challenge," he says.

"I've always loved cooking and I've known Matt and Charlotte for 30 years now. Charlotte's a brilliant cook, but there's just so many obstacles they need to overcome at the moment and I really want to help them do that.

"They're so positive and always looking at ways they can improve. It's exciting and it feels great to be a part of. They have all these plans and I have some ideas of my own so it's really the perfect partnership."

Matt and Charlotte agree, and both exude an air of optimism and energy at