A New Beginning on Pitshanger Lane
Independent shops looking to make the most of the end of the second lockdown
Preeti, left, opened her shop's doors for the first time on December 2.
This Wednesday (2 December) did not just mark the end of lockdown 2 but a new beginning for an independent retailer who opened her shop in Ealing for the first time.
Preeti Wadhwani isn’t fazed by the doom and gloom 2020 trading has brought so far, and decided to go ahead in opening her gift shop vying to be “Aladdin’s cave” and bring some sparkle to the high street.
The grand opening on Pitshanger Lane looked promising as two happy shoppers left with trinket-filled bags in the first few hours of trading.
Bella Mira Home has been an online store since 2015, but a home on the high street is a brand new venture for Preeti who has been planning its launch for the last few years. Previously, the mother-of-two spent 20 years in the corporate world.
“For me, this has been new, it’s been an adventure,” the 42-year-old said.
“Even with lockdown and everything it feels good with customers, with feedback. I think everybody’s ready for something bright and something happy.”
With the free unit coming up on the parade of independents, while her son secured a place at a nearby school, Preeti and her husband – an Ealing restauranteur – felt this was their moment to seize the opportunity.
“We thought it was just amazing, we haven’t looked back,” Preeti said.
It’s an upbeat morning along the lane as it gradually emerges from its four-week slumber.
John Martin, the chair of Pitshanger Village Traders’ Association – also dubbed as ‘Mr Pitshanger’, is waving and welcoming back regulars and store owners alike as they re-set up shop.
“I’m really excited for all the traders,” he says, “This is my baby…
“There’s nothing nicer today walking up and down this lane and seeing all the businesses back.”
John Martin has been in business on Pitshanger Lane business for 25 years
The owner of John Martin Estates, which he’s run with his wife Rhian for 25 years, has previously seen the lane in tough times and helped restore the “decimated” shopping destination from 2010, to winning an award for the best London high street five years later.
This year so far he reveals Pitshanger Lane has suffered one casualty of Explore Learning shutting its doors in a toss up with its Ealing Broadway branch.
Explore Learning was the "one casualty" oo Pitshanger Lane this pandemic
But overall John believes independents have bounced back better than larger retail giants, adding, “We have done better than most, there are other high streets seeing very few customers across the borough, we are quite lucky we have a supportive community.”
In fighting the coronavirus challenge however, the business boss said working closely with the council to make sure traders received support grants quickly was “massively valuable” at the start of the crisis. And John now co-chairs Ealing’s High Streets Taskforce to help the borough recover.
Armed with more than £300,000 from the Government’s Reopening High Streets Safely Fund, representatives from Ealing’s Business Improvement Districts, Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre, Southall and borough councillors, officers and others have been behind a number of initiatives to help traders adapt and thrive in the ‘new normal’.
Social distancing signage and stickers along Pitshanger Lane, John points to as being organised and paid for by the taskforce.
“We hope there won’t be another lockdown…high streets can’t keep going through this stop-start phase, we need continuity and for there to be a clear run,” John said.
“Some businesses we have were just getting back up and running to similar levels prior to the original lockdown before having to close down again.”
Rachael Hunt, owner of coffee shop Cinnamon On The Lane, says she worries how her cosy cafe will recover if the normality of financial demands returns next year.
Rachael, on the right, set up her coffee shop business seven years ago on Pitshanger Lane
But the mother-of-two believes despite the “disaster” year, she’s thankful that her staff and other traders have stayed healthy.
“I think the hardest thing for me was when a couple of my elderly customers lost their wives.
“Two of my customers have lost their spouses to Covid…
“Everyone’s lost somebody and I think everybody needs to keep positive and keep trying to just get through this. In the grand scheme of things money doesn’t matter, we have got to look after each other.”
Anahita Hossein-Pour - Local Democracy Reporter
December 3, 2020