Time for another update.
Once again, I am still working, and I am still posting orders, and making and taking orders.
As things currently stand, I’m still working from home, rather than my studio. The building at The Art House is now open, so I can currently access any supplies that are in my studio (this may change if we’re locked down again).
But for various reasons (limited capacities on buses and trains, that potentially triple my journey time, the potential for local lockdowns, the looming threat of another national lockdown as the second wave of the virus takes hold), it makes more sense for me to choose one and stay there.
If I move all my equipment back to the studio, and we’re locked down again, I won’t be able to work at all, so it’s simple maths.
Very few of my suppliers shut down completely during the lockdown, and as far as I know, they’re all still open, or have reopened, although they pretty much all have slower than normal delivery for now.
However, I am now able to have people come to the house for fitting, measuring, and collection of orders (if we’re locked down again, and banned from having people visit, this will naturally change – though as I write, Wakefield district has been taken off the watchlist for local lockdown).
When possible (i.e. weather permitting), we do everything outside (thank heaven for large and relatively private back gardens), minimising the risk for everybody and for measuring and fitting, masks and gloves are the order of the day.
Onto the Reenactor’s Market (TORM) in November. At the time I’m writing this, it is scheduled to go ahead in November, although with differences such as mask wearing, limits on numbers allowed in the building, lists being kept of attendees for contact tracing, wider aisles, some outside trading, etc, etc. Clearly, this could very, very easily change, as the virus progresses.
I have no control over whether the market is on in November, obviously, but if it is on, I will be there, which brings me onto my plans for my stall.
In an effort to minimise risk for customers, as well as us on the stall, I’ll be taking certain steps.
All stock will be wrapped individually. Livery badges already are individually bagged, but small clothing items such as arming caps and hose will be bagged up separately, and all larger garments will be in biodegradable plastic garment bags.
I’ll be asking people NOT to try on garments, unless they’re collecting orders specifically made for them. And I’ll have signs up to that effect. Due to this, I’ll be allowing people to try garments on at home and return within 14 days for a refund or replacement (the latter where that’s possible).
I’ll be asking all customers to pay by contactless card payment where possible, and ideally by card where it’s not possible (though if you don’t have a card, I will still take cash and cheques).
We’ll be wiping down the card terminal with anti bacterial wipes before and after each use.
We’ll have a bottle of hand sanitiser available for the use of customers, as well as ourselves.
Where I have to fit or measure people, I’ll be sanitising my hands, and I’ll ask clients to do the same – I’ll then also be wearing PPE such as a mask, new gloves, and possibly a visor – I’ll also request that clients wear masks unless they’re exempt on physical or mental health grounds.
Normally when measuring, I ask you to complete the top section of the form, but we’ll instead be asking you to read out your name, address, and other details, and we’ll write them down.
I’ll be disinfecting tape measures before and after every measuring or fitting session.
Pins will come from a new pot, and go into a ‘used’ pot, to be disinfected later.
(These are the same steps I’m taking at home when people attend for fitting or measuring.)
If the November market is cancelled, and I don’t see you lot till March, these steps are all likely still to be in place in March for everybody’s safety, as I doubt the virus will have made an ‘exit, stage left’ before then.
As with my last update, for more regular info, see my facebook page.
