Local businesses have labelled 2020 their “hardest year, both mentally and financially” after a survey found that trading had plunged to depths not seen for two decades.
The new report, which comes from the Scottish Retail Consortium, claims that 2020 was the worst year for businesses in it’s 22 year record, with overall sales falling by a dramatic 16.6%.
The plummet in trading has had a huge effect on many of Dundee’s retailers, with business owners claiming they are barely surviving.
Ross Turriff, owner of Jessie’s Kitchen and Turriff’s Garden Centre, said that the year was the most challenging one he had ever experienced.
Hard, both mentally and financially
He said: “I would totally concur that this has been the hardest year that I can remember, both mentally and financially.
“It’s been a really tough year, the lockdowns have obviously hit us hard on the financial side, since we’ve had the cafe closed, or only been able to do takeaway, and then that’s led to reduced footfall elsewhere.
“I think just managing it all has been really stressful, harder than ever to keep on top of things.
“Still, we’ve been lucky in a way because we have our fruit and veg. That’s allowed us to stay open for most of the year, we could do our fruit and veg boxes.
“I think that for almost all businesses though, this year has been hard.”
Other businesses, such as the Rosebud, a florist on the Perth road, have also had to adapt in order to keep money coming in.
Dilly Milne-Van Boeckle, who owns the shop, said: “We haven’t felt it as badly as most places, since we have still been allowed to trade, we’re doing about as well as last year, if not a bit better.
“I think it’s because people who are stuck in doors have been wanting to send each other flowers, so we’re definitely one of the luckier businesses.
“Still, other businesses are facing tough times, I know that the Perth Road is like a ghost town.”
The news of 2020’s terrible trading was already expected by businesses, who faced tough restrictions throughout the year.
Hardship across the country
Alison Henderson, CEO of Dundee’s Chamber of Commerce, said: “It’s hard to comment at a local level, but I know that every city and town across the country is feeling the exact same hardship.
“In Dundee specifically we’ve seen a lot of businesses having to work hard to keep their trade going.
“The effect that this has had on people and jobs is enormous. You have people on furlough so they don’t have their full wages or maybe students who would usually be able to get part-time work struggling to find any.
“There’s also been a large impact on women, as a lot of the sectors which the pandemic has had an effect on are run by women.
“It’s devastating to see the impact this has had on people, and how unequal it’s been for different groups.”
In May last year, council leader John Alexander and Dundee Labour group leader Kevin Keenan said the impact of Covid-19 would mean business closures were “inevitable” (see video below).
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.