‘We are open for business’

‘We are open for business’

15 July 2020

CROSSGAR is open for business.

That’s the message from traders a week on from claims that the village and neighbouring Ballynahinch were at the heart of a coronavirus outbreak which infected a number of people.

The business community say last week’s reports have had a “devastating impact” on the village which is Covid-19 free, with the safety of all staff and customers the number one priority.

A number of businesses — which had only reopened a number of days after a raft of lockdown restrictions had eased — are angry that Crossgar was wrongly implicated as having the virus.

It subsequently transpired that there were 11 coronavirus cases, 10 of which are believed to relate to one family in the Ballynahinch area who are not connected to any business.

Contact tracing was implemented and all those affected have been contacted by public health officials.

A care home on the outskirts of Crossgar closed to visitors as a precaution last week, while three homes in Ballynahinch went into lockdown as the Covid-19 reports circulated.

Business owners in Crossgar insist that the safety of staff and customers is their absolute priority and that there is strict adherence to social distancing and sanitisation requirements.

Businesswoman Jennifer Graham of AJ’s Diner said last week’s media reports have had a major impact on trade across the village, leaving many in the business community angry and upset.

She explained she had no issue with care homes closing as a precaution, insisting that what they did was perfectly understandable given what happened to similar facilities during the global pandemic.

Mrs Graham said the media spotlight was wrongly shone on Crossgar with rumours about alleged cases of coronavirus “completely blown out of proportion”.

She said people had been “spooked” about coming to the village at a time when businesses were adhering to all guidelines to ensure that their respective premises are safe.

Mrs Graham went on: “We are all trying to keep our staff employed under difficult circumstances but the message which last week’s media reports sent out did not help.

“I have spoken to several traders and while there is a lot of concern at what happened, the overriding message is that the Crossgar is very much open for business.

“None of AJs customers or members of staff have ever tested positive for Covid-19 and our absolute priority has always been their safety.”

She added: “We also continue to take all necessary and thorough precautions in line with regulations regarding social distancing and sanitisation and hope that everyone will continue to support local business at this uncertain time.”

Rowallane councillor, Terry Andrews, said businesses in Crossgar are very much at the heart of the district’s economy and encouraged people to eat out and shop locally.

“We depend on local businesses so much and we should be supporting them at this time. Many businesses had to close for over three months as a result of coronavirus lockdown measures and are on the slow road to recovery. It is essential that they have the public’s backing and support at this critical time,” he said.

“It is more important than ever that we support our local shops, cafes, bars and restaurants who collectively provide significant employment, supporting many families.”

Cllr Andrews said local businesses and various retail outlets “have all gone the extra mile”, working to implement guidelines and regulations designed to keep staff and customers safe at all times.

He added: “Crossgar is one particular part of the district where businesses have worked hard to ensure that people are safe, whether shopping or out for something to eat.

“The village is home to a number of businesses, many of them family-owned, and it is important that we support them at this time, alongside other businesses across the district. The business community needs our support more than ever.”