LONDON, ONT. -- Downtown businesses trying to regain what they lost during the nearly two-year-long construction of Dundas Place are once again left with uncertain futures.
Measures to help contain the spread of COVID-19 mean stores in the heart of the city are closing indefinitely or reducing their hours.
And it’s not just bars and restaurants, but businesses of all types are taking measures.
“Last year we were severely affected, we were down about 90 per cent,” says art gallery owner Jonathon Bancroft-Snell, who is seeing customers by appointment only. “This year we were looking to recover.”
But now he’s not so sure that will happen. The business has already cancelled several shows and events to mark its 20th anniversary.
Bancroft-Snell is also worried about his neighbours along the eerily quiet strip.
“The people that work in the bars and restaurants around here, they’re friends. These are people I’ve known for 15, 20 years...They were suffering before, and now they are unemployed.”
He added that he’s hoping once the details of the federal government’s $82-billion aid package become clear, there will be help for small businesses.
