Do you miss the barista at the coffee shop who always remembers your order? Your favourite trainers at your gym?

Since lockdown, pubs, restaurants, gyms and other venues deemed non-essential have closed their doors in the UK. Not only does this stop me from visiting my favourite cafes and restaurants, it’s also having a big impact on their employees and their chances of surviving the pandemic.

So, here’s a list of things you could do to help and support local small businesses during this difficult time.

Order takeaway food and drink

Many local restaurants are still offering delivery, so be sure to take advantage and order in your favourite meals whenever you can! We all deserve to treat ourselves every now and then… It’s worth checking their website to see if you can order directly from the restaurant instead of using an app like Deliveroo or Uber Eats, as these take a cut of the profits. Be generous when it comes to tipping. If you are able to, tip delivery drivers a few extra pounds, whether it’s a takeaway or your local milkman.

Buy gift cards

Is your favourite shop or restaurant not delivering right now? Order a gift card for a friend/family member to use when they are back up and running! This way you’ve got something to look forward to, especially if you know it’ll be a nice treat.

Take part in online classes

As mentioned in my last blog, many studios and trainers are offering really fun online classes as a way to stay connected with customers while we’re home. Psycle London is offering free IG Live classes everyday so you can stay fit at home.

Engage on social media

Liking, commenting and re-sharing posts from your favourite brands and restaurants is a really quick and easy way to support small businesses. This is also a great way to show them how much they’re been missed!

Leave a good review

Did you order a meal that you absolutely loved? Get some handmade jewellery that will make your friends envious? Now that we’re all staying home, we can all afford to spend a few minutes to give positive feedback, even if it’s just a combination of different emojis 👌🏼💎❤️

Share your experience on social media

Similar to leaving a good review on a website, if you had a phenomenal experience with a local shop or restaurant share it on social media and tag them! We all love receiving a good review…

Looking to stay fit during lockdown? Read about how you can stay active from home here.