By Holly Dobson
A Leicester Market stall-holder has said that trade was a lot busier when stricter Covid-19 restrictions were in place.
Stephen Powley, a 57-year-old fruit and vegetable market trader, said: “Since it all went back to normal, we’re not so busy no more.”
“When the covid was on, we were a lot busier. There were less stalls and rent was cheaper. Now it’s just gone dead,” he said
However, Mr Powley added that as Leicester city centre prepares itself for the winter months as the holiday period approaches: “I think it will perk up a little more.”
Another Leicester market trader has also spoken of how the pandemic affected his business.
Jason Lepreux, a fruit and vegetable stall-holder, said that the pandemic: “Massively affected business, at best 50 per cent or around 50 per cent of what we were. It’s a combination of everything.”
He added: “Everyone shops online these days.”
In a report by Waitrose, 77 per cent of people now do some of their grocery shopping online, compared to 61 per cent before the pandemic hit. Two thirds of the respondents said they have used online shopping services because they preferred to not go to a supermarket.
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