There were, understandably, mixed emotions as pubs, restaurants and hairdressers were allowed to reopen earlier in the month.

The guidelines were constantly changing and there were so many unknowns to consider. So many of you have been adapting as best you can throughout lockdown. We caught up with Tom at The Three Moles to hear what they have been doing.

Have you been able to reopen fully yet? If yes, how did it go and how are you feeling about it?

We reopened the pub on Saturday [4th July]. It went better than expected. Trade was definitely down compared to the same weekend last year, but better than we thought it would be. We haven’t made up our minds yet on how to feel – we need to see how the next few weeks go. Being shut for the best part of 4 months has put a huge financial strain on us.  

What kinds of measures have you put in place to make it safe for people?

We have hand sanitiser stations and all the usual stuff but the biggest change was the construction of an outside bar in the beer garden along with a temporary cellar to have all the draught beers. We haven’t used the bar inside at all yet as everyone has loved being out in the garden.  

How have you managed to adapt your business over the past few months?

During lockdown we have been doing whatever we could to bring money in. A mix of home delivery fresh fruit and veg, BBQ packs, beer and wine etc. We lost track of how much flour we sold when the shops didn’t have it – we were still able to get all we wanted through our suppliers. We also did a takeaway bar out the front of the pub at weekends!

Find out more from The Three Moles by visiting their Facebook page.

It is going to be a big week for David Smith, Military in Business® Ambassador for East England. David reopens his gym doors on Saturday 25th July – Crossfit Spitfire – after an extensive ‘makeover’!

“The gym has really been brought to life with this epic artwork, come and take a look for yourself 🙌🏽”

Please do support him on social media – you can find their Facebook page here. We are all in this together!

We, of course, recognise that there are many challenges ahead and we would love to hear from you, whether you are in the Military business community or not.

How have you adapted? What have you had to overcome? What advice do you have? Share your stories and we will shine a light on you in a follow-up blog.

Get in touch at: Info@x-forces.com or share your stories with us on Twitter.