As Penarth businesses begin to make preparations for the looming "circuit breaker" lockdown, Nub News has been reaching out to them to gauge the mood on the high street.

Different businesses will be affected in different ways, but a spirit of resilience and optimism seems to be universally shared.

Let's take a look at how local business owners across various sectors are reacting to yesterday's news.

Pubs

Pubs have been among the hardest hit businesses since March. Footfall had been steadily declining even before COVID hit, but that trend has accelerated dramatically throughout 2020. Since lockdown began, at least 315 pubs have poured their last pint.

Some fear Mr Drakeford's yesterday announcement may be the final nail in the coffin for some struggling pubs and bars.

Alistair Darby, CEO of Brains Brewery which owns three pubs in Penarth, struck a gloomy tone in a statement he wrote for Nub News shortly after the announcement:

"Having had all of our pubs closed for four months and reopened for just 11 weeks, it's an enormously sad day to be told that we must close again for 16 days from Friday evening.

"This second closure will do enormous damage to the hospitality sector in Wales unless very significant support gets to the people and businesses within it, fast."

Similarly, Natasha Rees (who has only just taken over St Fagan's pub after an immensely difficult few months) says the announcement came us highly unwelcome news.

"I don't know what to say. I'm just sick of it all really. It is awful for businesses. Two weeks is bad enough but we don't know what's going to happen afterwards. Will it actually work? it's the uncertainty leading up to Christmas that I'm finding so difficult.

"Hopefully we can keep on all our staff, but it's potentially three weekends we're missing out on here. Some might say: 'Well October's quieter anyway,' but since we've opened we've been really busy. So it's tough.

"But at the same time it's just one of those things. We'll get through it because we have to. It's all about just pulling together and getting on with it."

Cafes

Although some may struggle to imagine life without Penarth's many cafes, they are unfortunately classed as "non-essential" and will also be forced to close.

Sian Fox, owner of Foxy's Cafe and Deli, considers the circuit breaker lockdown a necessary evil.

"I suppose it needs to be done because I now personally know lots of people with the virus. We just hope things will be back to normal by Christmas."

She praised the Welsh Government for its £300 million support package:

"The bad news is we have to close. But the good news is they're compensating us nicely. It's obviously devastating news, but we will bounce back from this."

Matt Holland, who runs Willmore's 1938, is characteristically optimistic:

"We can't stop or influence it. It's about being positive and changing the way we work again, hopefully just for the short term."

Takeaway

It came as a massive relief to some yesterday when gov.wales confirmed that takeaways could continue operating during the circuit breaker lockdown.

Hugo Slorach, who alongside his wife Chanya and their friend Salah Roap recently started Penarth's first Thai takeaway Onzon, thanks the community for the support they've received so far.

"With the prospect of another lockdown, we hope that we will be able to continue to offer contactless delivery across our local area. We sincerely appreciate the support that we have experienced so far in establishing this new venture which continues to grow."

Miscellaneous

Penarth is blessed with a diverse high street, teeming with the widest range of shops and services imaginable.

Hugo and Chanya also own the cosmetic services Beauty Box and Wax & Glo. They say normal service will resume as soon as the circuit breaker period ends on the 9th.

"We hope that this 'firebreak' lockdown will be short, effective and allow the people of Penarth to return to their high street and support local independents with renewed confidence afterwards.

"We look forward to welcoming our clients back as soon as we are able and will be offering contactless delivery of our retail and home kits during the lockdown period."

Aside from serving as Chair of Penarth Business Group, Angelina Hall is known in Penarth as founder of Glass By Design. The Station Approach business not only produces and sells glassware but also offers stain glass fusing classes. All this will grind to a halt on Friday.

She speaks of the disappointment felt across Penarth today:

"It is so disappointing as we have worked so hard to put social distancing measures in place so people can come and enjoy some much needed downtime and forget about C-19.

"Our doors may be closed, but we will still have our FB shop and people can message us to buy and we are able to deliver locally. Hopefully, if these measures suppress the virus, we can then remain open to Christmas."

With diverse businesses come diverse opinions. Jack McInally of gift shop Not Socks Again says he welcomes the lockdown in spite of the impact it is likely to have on his business:

"As a non-essential business we, along with many others, will be required to close the shop in line with the Welsh Government regulations.

"I am on the safety first side of the line, I know there are other views, but for me it's the health and safety of the staff and customers that matters.

"If we can operate again online for the meantime we will. We were delighted at how much support the online shop received in the summer."

The personal trainers Rae Carpenter and Kath Adams who run Live Fit Wales have long since moved their classes online and are unlikely to be directly affected by the lockdown.

They are altering their schedule to help the town manage the strain lockdown will put on mental health and wellbeing.

"We know at LiveFIT Wales/Cymru, exercise is essential to helping good mental health," says Rae. "But in response to today's lockdown announcement, we have decided to add 2 Yoga and Mindfulness sessions to our timetable per week during the lockdown where people will be able to log on and move their bodies gently and with purpose and also, spend 10 minutes getting mentally centred. Sometimes we just need some TLC."

Rae implores residents to support local business at this difficult time.

"Small business owners will be extremely concerned and my heart really goes out to those who will financially struggle and maybe even see this as the last straw and have to stop trading.

"We must try our hardest to support whatever online mode these small, local businesses are able to offer. Let's hope it's just two weeks and that small local businesses can bounce back...again.. and thrive not just survive with the run up to Christmas."