DEAR MP

WRITE TO YOUR MP

During lockdown Alison Hargreaves and her team at Guides For Brides developed TrustedTrace and WeddingSafe to help wedding venues and businesses reopen safely. We asked her to draft a letter that retailers could – and should – send to their MPs

Dear... (it’s important to have the correct name here and to show your name, shop name, address and signature in the sign off)

I am writing to you as one of the many retailers working in an industry in limbo, paralysed by the repeated blows that hit us every time regulations change and couples lose even more confidence in their wedding plans.

We worked hard to adapt our boutiques, our appointment times and our protocols to be able to open for brides over the summer. We bought PPE and fabric cleaning equipment, we invested in appointment booking software and video streaming. We compromised our customer experience by turning away bridesmaids and additional family members. We stopped serving fizz and no longer hugged brides when they found ‘the dress’.

During the times of most uncertainty, while others simply closed their shop doors, we were there for our brides. We reassured them when they felt their wedding would never happen; we re-measured them when they changed size; we’ve reimbursed some who were forced to cancel and we have reiterated to others that deposits are safe despite having no idea how our business can survive.

We have battled with supply chains and the challenges of working with manufacturers in China and fabric mills in Italy. We’ve had bridal gowns caught up in transit and by customs. The challenges of working across borders after Brexit haven’t yet begun. We have done all we can to support British designers and manufacturers but all our 2020 trade shows were cancelled and choosing designers and new lines has been compromised.

The nature of our business has made it hard to access financial support. We needed to be there to reassure our postponed and panicking brides during the first lockdown, then adjust our boutiques and systems for reopening, so we couldn’t furlough our staff.

The nature of our business means income fluctuates throughout the year; so many bridal retailers pay their managing directors in dividends. Those company directors who have worked so hard building their businesses are excluded from financial support. Bridal retailers have struggled to access CBILS loans as they are being penalised for the credit history of others.

Meanwhile, we are covering the costs of holding, storing and insuring increasing amounts of stock for brides unable or unwilling to pay their final balances and collect dresses ordered nearly a year ago.

Bridal boutiques employ skilled assistants who have learnt over many years how to choose the dress that perfectly reflects a bride’s personality and style. They know how to