Call for Rugbeians to support local businesses through lockdown - here are some of the businesses still open

At 50 businesses in the town centre have been able to continue to operate through the Covid-19 lockdown, with many offering delivery services.

For every £1 spent with a local, independent business between 50p-70p circulates back into Rugby’s economy.

Rugby First operations director Rich Warren said: “In the month since lockdown was introduced, many of our local businesses are completely reshaping their trading models, offering new products and services, implementing new payment systems and becoming social media experts.

“The coronavirus pandemic is posing a huge challenge for businesses.

"Whether they are open or not it has forced them to think more creatively about their offer and how they can adapt to customers’ needs like never before.

"The food and drink sector in particular is demonstrating their resilience by launching takeaway, deliveries and collection services – some of which for the first time.

"Other retailers are offering gift vouchers and running online classes and tutorials to keep in contact with customers and recreate the experience at home they would have had before social distancing measures were introduced.”

Listing some of the Rugby businesses continuing to provide services, a Rugby First spokesperson said: "Finding a creative outlet is easy with the numerous sewing, knitting and painting groups online and after watching a tutorial Dragon’s Paper Arts can deliver your crafting supplies to your door.

"If you have something to celebrate or would like to say thank you, then The Nest and Etcetera can help you choose the perfect gift and deliver it for free.

"Shape it Up Pilates and Omnia Physio are running online pilates classes and Anytime Fitness are sharing their expertise with plenty of tips for fitness and wellbeing including how to protect yourself from back strain when gardening.

"Social media is awash with images of lockdown haircut mishaps, but we can at least keep our hair in top condition by buying our hair products direct from Bespoke Hairdressing and Mack Hair & Beauty.

"Keeping the kids both entertained and educated has been a challenge for many parents, so Hunts Bookshop has come to the rescue with a selection of curriculum text books, jigsaws and games that are available for home delivery.

"As the food and drink sector is expected to be the last to fully re-open, the town’s cafés, pubs and restaurants are catering for their customers by offering a range of takeaway, delivery and collection options.

"La Casa Loco has created fajitas kits to heat and eat at home, as well as opening as a takeaway on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights; Revelicious bakery has a new online shop and delivery service for their bread, flapjack and cupcakes; market traders Elliots of Leicester and Rugby Real Bread has replaced their market stall with a weekly home delivery service of fruit and veg boxes and homemade baked goods; Ninja Juice Bar is now delivering low calorie ready meals and both William Webb Ellis pub and Farmers Kitchen are offering Sunday roasts.

Bottles of Black Country Ales beer are available for collection from the Windmill Inn; The Seven Stars is selling beer, cider and snacks (including their legendary Scotch eggs) on Tuesday’s, Thursday’s and Saturday’s; our local wine merchant Gallachers delivers on Thursday’s and Friday’s; Alexandra Tavern is delivering their Atominc Lockdown 18 pints of real ale in a box (with £5 from every purchase being donated to the NHS) and you can brush up on your mixology skills with the Bar Twenty- Five cocktail tutorials until Café Vin Cinq re-opens.

Rich Warren said: “This is by no means a fully exhaustive list, but we hope that it shows the lengths that our town centre businesses are going to in providing goods and services to Rugby.

"The more we can do now to connect local shoppers with local retailers means that we will be in a much stronger position to help our town centre survive the crisis and be ready to restart after it has passed.”

If your business is offering delivery, takeaway, collections or any new incentives such as gift vouchers, please get in touch at [email protected].