LAURA’S THOUGHTS

ensure the smooth and safe running of the business, whatever the future had in store, and it meant I could continue the whole operation following every Covid guideline and safety measure to the letter and beyond! Just before we had to close, the team was right in its stride and closing for a second time was a real body blow. To say there were tears and an air of The ‘F’ word utter dejection on our last day together would be putting it mildly... No more team nights out, social days or baby showers (two of our team returned to work in June with Laura Daly discovered that silver lining just when she ‘lockdown’ baby bumps). The annual Christmas outing and various other thought it had vanished permanently into the grey clouds festive celebrations all looking increasingly unlikely. I had to really stretch to try to catch Considering that in January, I’d never even heard the word ‘furlough’, this concept has now become my new best hand sanitisers throughout, spaced out our fitting areas and appointment times, quarantined gowns, and scrubbed and cleaned between appointments like our a glimpse of the silver lining that I knew would be there if only I could see it. Then I realised it was right in front of me all along. It was the team itself. friend. I feel like the ‘f’ word and I have lives depended on it... because maybe My wonderful group of ladies, who truly bonded. It’s just as well really, as, they actually did! all love each other like family. These after finally getting the whole team We wore the face masks, we ladies carry the reputation of Bellissima ! back to work, we had to put most of washed and sanitised our hands until like a precious jewel. They strive to them back on it for a second time this they hurt, we kept our distance, we succeed in their jobs and show me a year. limited customer numbers, retrained, passion and love for our business with

Just at a point when we thought we reconfigured, and for what? To be told every comment, idea, and middle-ofwere getting somewhere and when that, despite all of this, we were having the-night bright-idea text they send. buying confidence was returning, to close again. These ladies ARE my silver lining. there we went again. When taking I struggled (and I still do, in truth) For them, I made a pledge that we‘d orders behind glass screens, OCD to understand why appointment-only do everything in our power to ensure cleaning and ‘talking with our eyes’ sectors like ours couldn’t continue to they have whatever they need to was becoming less odd, and projecting operate, assuming there is any merit continue to make the dreams of others our voices through face masks at a at all in all the precautions we’d been come true once we reopen. considerable distance was becoming instructed to take. If these measures I haven’t furloughed everyone this easier, we had the sad duty of closing don’t work, then why on earth were we time; some of the team are working with our doors and calling all our customers continuously required to jump through me behind closed doors. We are reonce again to console, reschedule and so many hoops to comply in the first merchandising, going over all aspects reassure. place? of the operation: training, planning,

Once it became apparent that no Being someone who usually sees prepping, communicating with our amount of tiers, local curfews and the positives in everything, I don’t mind customers and selling the dream. We’re common sense were going to save us admitting to a couple of wobbly days on zooming the furloughed members for from a potential bashing by a second that point. My level of annoyance was chats, and raising a glass to each other wave of Covid, I think we all collectively such that I had to give myself a pretty from the comfort and safety of our started to dread that chilly shadow cast stern talking to. We had a full diary, homes. by the prospect of closing again. our new fittings suite was just ready to This time we refuse to be down; we

At Bellissima, just like most other open. are celebrating our successes and businesses across the land, we’d done The acquisition of a whole new floor banking those wins. 2020 has taught all we could, and at great expense, had been my first lockdown project us more than we could ever have to ‘Covid-proof’ our premises. We’d and, going forward, it will allow us to imagined and, through it all, we will rise serviced and changed the filters in the operate fittings and changing areas stronger and more together than ever. air conditioning, invested in Italian glass completely privately, with each having We owe it to ourselves. We owe it to screens around our counters, placed its own entrance. This was done to our brides. Onwards!