Home deliveries offer lifeline to High Street traders

Specialist shops along Barnet High Street — as well as numerous take-away food outlets — are determined to try to continue trading in the wake of the continuing lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.

Three niche businesses — Hopscotch (sweets, loose tea and cake-making supplies), The Present (gifts and homeware) and Wanders Shoes — are mong the latest to offer collection and delivery services in response to telephone and online orders.

Michael and Alice Kentish, proprietors of Hopscotch, are taking orders between 1pm and 5pm for same day delivery in High Barnet and East Barnet.

They hope to take advantage of the demand for Easter eggs and treats, and also the surge in cake making as families stay at home.

“We are doing our best not to be defeated. We are having to adapt to the lockdown.

“We are anxious to do all we can to provide a service to our loyal customers,” said Mrs Kentish. www.hopscotchsweets.co.uk

Among the orders lined up for delivery were boxes for cup cakes, loose tea, confectionery and traditional painted cardboard Easter eggs (in which the sweets are packed inside).

From the start of the lockdown, Barnet Market fruit and vegetable stallholder Andy Gardiner stepped up his home delivery service.  www.greengrocerschoice.co.uk

Chris Nightingale, organiser of the Friends of Barnet Market, urged regular customers to do what they could to support stallholders offering a delivery service.

Plants and garden supplies can be ordered from Finchley Nurseries and collected from their centre in Burtonhole Lane, Mill Hill.

When collecting an order, car drivers must remain in their vehicles while plants and supplies are placed in the boot.

The Love Barnet website of Gail Laser is helping to promote shops and other traders who are finding innovative ways to keep trading.

Together with other members of the Chipping Barnet Town Team, she is taking part in online forums to keep up to date on the impact the lockdown is having on the High Street and to plan ahead for ways to help boost the town centre once normal trading resumes.

For further details: The Present  www.facebook.com/ThePresentBarnet/  Wanders Shoes www.facebook.com/Wanders Finchley Nurseries www.finchleynurseries.net