'This is totally wrong': Shop owner's heartbreak at Tier 4 closure
A craft shop owner has said she is ‘heartbroken’ as her business has closed again due to new restrictions.
The West Midlands moved into Tier 4 on December 31, meaning all non-essential shops have had to close.
Tracey Spilsbury, who has owned Wulfrun Wool and Crafts on Cleveland Street, in Wolverhampton for 21 years, believes there should have been a national lockdown, rather than local lockdown.
She said: “I’m frustrated that other shops, such as Hobbycraft in Telford can stay open, this is totally wrong, these local restrictions are hitting independent shops again. This business is my life, you build it back up to have it taken away from you again.
“I just think when is it going to end? When are independent shops going to get a chance to survive?
“After 21 years, I didn’t think that something like this would be the biggest challenge of my life, and it is heartbreaking to watch my business struggle like this.
"I am lucky that I have some really loyal customers who have already called me to check I’m OK, without their support I would be lost.”
Tracey has also criticised the lack of clarity and guidance that the Government has given to non-essential shops.
She added: “I don’t know if I can stay open for click and collect or not, should I be knitting items for Easter or next Christmas? It’s really confusing.
"Small businesses have taken all of the precautions they can, we have been cleaning, have screens up, sanitiser, gloves, one-way systems, and yet it’s us who are suffering, not the big supermarkets where they don’t take all of these precautions.
“The craft industry has been huge for people’s mental health, especially this year, so they should be classed as essential like garden centres are, why aren’t we as essential as an off-licence?”
