There really hasn’t been much to feel merry about during the recent holiday period.
Lock-down and the need to socially distance has kept many of us under virtual house arrest.
Thankfully, the recent announcement that the Oxford vaccine has been cleared for use offers some hope that by Easter or early summer we may be able to return to pre-COVID conditions. Can you imagine walking into a crowded bar or restaurant without the nagging fear that you may become infected?
Many business owners, particularly those in the hospitality sector, are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and unable to realise the full value for their years of effort if forced to sell.
Many others are having to borrow to support losses, gambling that a post-COVID turnaround is close enough to hang-on and ride out what remains of COVID disruption.
The vaccines are a real positive, and if possible should give us enough incentive to plan for survival and emerge from this period of unprecedented disruption with enough wind in our sails to exploit the expected bounce-back.
Hopefully, this time next year, we will have enjoyed the close proximity of our family and friends and have been able to join hands to sing in a new year without the ever-present anxiety that COVID has created. Indeed, this is our prime new year’s resolution, and if you need help to weather what is left of COVID’s influence, please get in touch.
