Well, what a year!!
I’m struggling to remember what life was like pre-Covid!! When things were “normal”. Before we had heard words like lockdown and furlough.
I can remember going into the first lockdown. The feeling that the country was on a war-footing. That we were all in it together, fighting for survival, against an invisible killer. Like many of you, I had serious concerns that Stopfords might be severely damaged. The work that I thought would dry-up completely, did however start to come in, and we came through it.
I’m aware that some of you have done incredibly well throughout the restrictions. I’m also aware that for some of you, this has been catastrophic!! Business has “fallen off a cliff”, and there are no signs of recovery.
On top of all this, at the time of writing, we still don’t have a trade deal with the EU!! Before Covid, people were forecasting that this would be the end of the world, as we know it!! With or without a deal, things will change!!
The vaccines must give us hope. We get through to next Spring. The infection rate will drop. And before we get into the Autumn, a substantial proportion of us (particularly the vulnerable) have received the vaccines. Maybe then we can get back to (the new) normal.
I wish you all, the best possible Christmas you can have, and that 2021 is, in all ways, better than 2020. Stay safe!!
Brian Stopford
