It's been an extraordinarily difficult year for 海角视频 business.
Companies of all sizes - from small independent firms to giant multinational corporates - have been pushed to the limit as Covid-19 swept the globe, devastating economies.
In the South West - a region in which hospitality, food and drink, manufacturing and tourism makes up a significant proportion of industry - the impact has been severe.
And yet, the resilience of the business community in the region is quite astounding. Companies across the West Country, many of which were forced to close for periods throughout the year, have found innovative ways to continue trading.
Many came up with new ways to do business, adapting operations or changing entirely in order to survive.
We have spoken to just some of the companies in the South West that pivoted in 2020 - and are now reaping the benefits.
Dorset Flower Company, Dorchester
The Dorset Flower Company was forced to adapt its business model this year after the pandemic hit the wedding industry.
The Dorchester-based company, which grows flowers on its farm in Dorset, previously only supplied wedding and event flowers but in March, when lockdown hit, owner Katie Priestly started selling bouquets and delivering loose flowers locally.
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The company had not previously explored its local customer base, according to Katie, but was "overwhelmed" by the response to the garden-style flowers they started selling.
Demand grew and the company was making up to 60 bouquets and arrangements a week in peak season.
To keep up with the increase in volume, Katie and her husband converted part of the farm to another acre of cut flowers and built a new flower packing room.
Katie says seeing the happiness that flowers bring to people is "wonderful and endlessly motivating".
This year has made a lot of people focus on buying locally and supporting small local firms, says Katie, who is planning to launch an edible flower business, supplying restaurants and wedding cake makers, in April 2021.
She said: "Small business are much better placed to be flexible and adjustable during a difficult time in business. I believe the most important thing is to ignore your emotions about one route to market closing and look at all the other options available to you."
Toot, Plymouth
A Plymouth restaurateur kept his top-rated eatery open during the second lockdown by changing it to a takeaway and delivery business after launching his own app.
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Edmond Davari’s, rated Plymouth’s top Middle Eastern food experience on TipAdvisor, closed to sit-in customers ahead of the November 5 lockdown but he kept staff on and stayed in business by offering take-home meals for the first time.
He said it was vital he adapted his business after the coronavirus pandemic hit trade and caused Toot’s outside catering sister company to lose 200 bookings during 2020, with no events scheduled for this Christmas or even 2021.
So Mr Davari came up with a way to “pivot” his business, as the Government has encouraged entrepreneurs to do, and operate seven nights a week as a takeaway.
He worked with an app developer so customers can order from him direct, and can also deliver via his own staff and by using JustEat. Customers can also collect pre-ordered dishes, and can even phone in and place their order.
Mr Davari is calling his new concept TV Dinners, in homage to the US habit of eating a meal in front of the flat screen.
Temptations T2, Plymouth
Plymouth's only lap dancing club is open even though nightclubs and adult entertainment venues must close while the city is in Tier 2 – because it is serving food.
The venue, in the infamous Union Street, is between 9pm and 11pm, with the hot food served by “hot girls”, possibly adult entertainers who have pivoted themselves, and not just on a pole.
The venue has said on Instagram, in December 2020, that its “tempting” menu includes an original or cheese and onion pasty served with a side salad, a quiche served with salad or cheesy chips.
The club posted on Instagram that it costs £10 for entry with “a meal from our menu (other items available on request, just drop us a message) and a drink”.
It added: “Where else could you get all that plus hot girls to serve you. We look forward to welcoming you!!"
Another post on Temptations T2's Instagram explained that any unsold pasties are donated to a charity.
Temptations T2, which also has an outlet in Bristol, defines itself as Plymouths “very first and largest lap dancing bar” and boasts a large main two-pole stage, fully stocked bar with exclusive VIP lounges, six VIP rooms, nine private full-strip booths and a heated smoking garden.
Digiprint Nettl, Bath and Chippenham
Independent web design and printing company company Digiprint Nettl decided to 'pivot' when Covid hit and footfall dried up during the national lockdown.
Before the pandemic, the business supplied fabric expo displays, but with exhibitions cancelled the business had material and staff "sitting idle", according to managing director Ben Gregory.
Ben said his company developed a personalised range of fabric masks and Covid sanitiser stations, floor graphics, signs and safety screens to keep the machines running and repurposed its expo services to supply covid-safe products for other businesses.
The firm, which has high street branches in Chippenham in Wiltshire, and in Bath, recently opened up a new industrial production unit to help meet demand.
"The biggest challenge this year has been footfall and customer orders, said Ben. "[However] offering guidance, support and face-to-face services as well as a high-quality end product has certainly helped to regain lost business during peak lockdowns where our footfall fell as low as 15 per cent."
Ben believes "people buy from people" - and having a physical store has been important.
"Having a bricks-and-mortar shop tells our customers that we are stable, established and reliable," said Ben. "No matter what online offer there is, customers will always seek the personal touch and quality service."
How Covid-19 is changing how we live and work
Cockwells, Falmouth
With the eleventh-hour cancellation of BOATS2020 – the recalibrated Southampton Boat Show that emerged in an attempt to comply with greater Coronavirus-related safety measures and restrictions – Cockwells found a new way of sharing its award-winning Duchy Motor Launches with potential customers and clinching sales.
Duchy Motor Launches are classically-designed, handcrafted, semi-production vessels created by Cockwells’ craftsmen. Key personnel from the award-winning Cornish boatbuilders had travelled to Southampton, transported the Duchy 27 and Duchy 35 they planned to exhibit and spent two days preparing the vessels for viewing.
But BOATS2020 was then cancelled by Southampton City Council. Universal Marina, in Southampton, agreed for the firm to return the Duchy 27 and Duchy 35 to their moorings and honour appointments prospective purchasers had already booked, as long as they observed strict Covid-19 regulations.
Although Cockwells missed the passing trade a busy boat show brings, it was able to boost its order book by clinching sales for one Duchy 27 and one Duchy 35; one Hardy 42 on brokerage, and to arrange four sea-trials.
Cockwells Modern and Classic Boatbuilding is based in Mylor Creek Boatyard near Falmouth in Cornwall. It builds bespoke superyacht tenders, motor launches and sailing yachts in any material.
The Underground, Plymouth
A bar and gig venue in Plymouth has been able to open and serve alcohol without an accompanying substantial meal - without breaking any Covid rules – by stressing it is categorised legitimately as a concert hall.
With Plymouth in Tier 2, where “wet-led” pubs are unable to open, The Underground, a live music venue on Mutley Plain, now operates as a concert hall,
It can serve alcohol to customers who have booked and bought a ticket to see a live performance, with table service only.
The venue is legally allowed to run at 50% of its capacity, which is 175 people, but after measuring out the available space, its owner decided to set the capacity at 45 - which includes staff and acts.
Bear Hug Goods, Cirencester
Victoria Jenner, owner of embroidery and equestrian branding business Stitched Equestrian, pivoted her business after the pandemic caused the cancellation of events across the 海角视频 and companies slashed their marketing budgets.
While trying to remain positive, Victoria decided to print a sweatshirt with ‘Socially Distant’ on it in colourful lettering and wore it on an Instagram video.
Victoria said without realising she had opened up an opportunity to offer something different to her usual branded products. She decided to start selling the t-shirts, with 10 per cent of the profits going to mental health charity Mind.
The sweatshirts, hoodies and t-shirts, which are organic, sustainable and ethically manufactured, are decorated by Victoria in her farm workshop in Cirencester.
"Everyone wanted a Socially Distant sweatshirt," she said. "I found that I really enjoyed creating and designing the slogans, so I set up Bear Hug Goods with the aim to spread some positivity and bring a smile to peoples faces."
Victoria believes businesses need to be open to change and evolution in order to survive.
She added: "When the first lockdown happened, I was faced with no incoming work as everything was cancelled or closed. So I used my existing machinery and suppliers to create something different and luckily for me, the sweatshirts proved popular."
She added: "If I am feeling disheartened or overwhelmed I take a moment to look back at what I have achieved this year and remember why I am doing what I am doing. I am incredibly lucky that I have been able to pivot and keep working safely."
Tarquin’s Cornish Gin, Padstow
The Cornish gin distillery when it lost half its business by selling online.
Tarquin’s Cornish Gin’s Southwestern Distillery, based in the hamlet of St Ervan, three miles from Padstow, doubled credit times for its smallest customers to 60 days, scrapped minimum order quantities, and provided 2,000, free, hand sanitiser stations for small retailers.
It is diversified into rum production, but the biggest change at the firm, named as one of Britain’s fastest growing before the coronavirus pandemic struck, was that it received a huge boost from online sales. It had no online market before the pandemic lockdown forced founder Tarquin Leadbetter to reassess the business’ model.
He said the company lost half its business overnight when hospitality and leisure sector customers were forced to close from March 20. But he said the firm bounced back and said: “We had never had an online shop before, but set that up and it’s been driving a significant part of our business.”
Fletcher’s, Plymouth’s
A Plymouth city centre restaurant found a way of battling back from the coronavirus downturn - by building a huge extension.
Chef Fletcher Andrews invested in his Fletcher’s eatery a stone’s throw from the Theatre Royal Plymouth, in Princess Street.
Unable to operate during the lockdowns, as the restaurant is fine dining and doesn’t cater for takeaway trade, Fletcher and his father Martin Andrews decided to .
That has allowed them to add 16 socially-distanced covers and bring in a baby grand piano, a much-admired feature of Chloe’s, the restaurant that previously operated in the space before it closed and Fletcher opened his business in the same unit.
Fletcher’s has also created a new menu, including a vegan section. A high-flyer on Tripadvisor and listed on the Trencherman’s Guide to the best South West restaurants, it was opened by Fletcher and his partner Jess Harkom, with help from Martin, Fletcher’s sister Tolon Andrews and her boyfriend George Roberts in 2018.
Bath Soft Cheese, Kelston
Hugh Padfield is the fourth generation of his family to milk cows at Park Farm in Kelston and runs the Bath Soft Cheese Co.
Hugh, who took over the 106-year-old family business in 2010, built a new cheese dairy on the farm in 2015 and had just expanded the on-site farm cafe when the pandemic hit.
The business was forced to shut the cafe during the national lockdown but continued selling essentials from its shop including milk from its vending machine, eggs, butter, bread and cheese.
“When restaurants and cafes were forced to close back in March, we lost 50 per cent of our business almost overnight,” recalls Hugh.
“The wholesalers who supplied restaurants cancelled orders and even asked if they could get refunds on the stock they held. It had a huge impact - as it did for the whole artisan cheese industry.”
In order to continue trading, Bath Cheese Co shifted to online selling, creating a grocery home-delivery scheme from scratch and also donating excess cheese that would have been wasted to causes including local NHS workers.
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The company also created a home-delivery cheese selection with free next day delivery across the 海角视频 and slashed the minimum online order to £20.
“That proved hugely effective and has continued to be a strong income stream for us throughout the year,” he said.
Hugh says in some ways, pivoting the business has created a closer link with customers.
“People who are buying online aren’t just buying cheese in a deli, or being served it in a restaurant then forgetting what it is. They’re reading about our organic farm and history, looking at our YouTube channel, and following us on social media. They know us and what we are doing, and sending us messages of support.”
The cafe has since reopened in line with restrictions as well as selling takeaway food and drink.
Have you transformed your business during the Covid-19 crisis? Are the changes you made here to stay? - Let us know in the comments section below.
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