Cardross Inn boss emotional on first day back after lockdown

Monday marked exactly four months since strict limitations were imposed throughout Scotland in a bid to curb a resurgence in Covid cases post-Christmas, and it was also the first day this year that non-essential shops, restaurants, pubs and cafes were permitted to open their doors to the public.

Gyms, hair and nail salons, tattoo parlours, leisure centres and libraries all returned to some form of normal trading as well, with further progress expected next month.

The area’s usually thriving hospitality industry has been hamstrung for much of the past 12 months, but after taking the first steps towards long-term recovery the Advertiser caught up with some local business owners, staff members and eager customers on their big day back.

David Davidson, who runs The Cardross Inn, was close to tears as he summed up his emotions on Monday.

David Davidson said it was an emotional day reopening the Inn after four months

“It is quite emotional,” he said.

“We’re excited, there is a wee bit of nerves there as well but that’s to be expected.

“We’re unsure what everyone’s expectations are going to be, we’re hoping that everyone just wants to come out and have a good time, we’ll still have to remember all the social distancing regulations and all the rest of it but we’re definitely really excited and really happy to be back trading again.

“The last few months have been tough for the business. The first lockdown was difficult but this one has been a lot harder, there has been a lot more uncertainty, it’s been difficult to plan both financially and operationally because we really didn’t have an awful lot of information.

“It’s been quite frustrating.

“The evidence wasn’t really there to support hospitality being closed for as long as it has been. However, on the other hand public health comes first and we totally respect that.”

Among the regulars who returned to the Inn for an early morning pint were 51-year-old Andy Sykes and Lee Sinclair, 41.

Andy Sykes and Lee Sinclair enjoyed a pint at the Cardross Inn on Monday morning

Andy said: “You have no idea how good it feels to be back.

“We come in here a lot, we live in here basically, we’re in every weekend, Fridays after work, evenings, so it’s good that it’s open again.

“It is the centre of the village, everybody in here knows everybody.”

Lee added: “It’s the only place in the village where everybody meets.

“It’s an older village full of retirees, so for them coming down on a nightly basis for a few hours, having a couple of pints and having a chat with people then going home, that’s all they’ve got.

Locals enjoyed some drinks in the beer garden at Ben Arthur's Bothy, Arrochar as it reopened on Monday

“They’ve not had that for four months and that has been a long four months for them.”

For David, the closure of the Inn has provided opportunities to grow the business, and he’s now excited about its future.

He said: “It’s a great community in Cardross and we’re looking forward to seeing our regulars back.

“This is what I do, this is what I love.

“We’re here to serve a community and not being able to do that has been really tough.”

Beauty salons like Dainty Digits in Cardross also reopened to customers this week

Beautician and nail technician Joanne McMurdo, from Dainty Digits in Cardross, said she's "absolutely delighted to be back" as she's missed her clients terribly.

Joanne said: "As one of my clients said to me on Monday 'You may not be an essential worker, but to me you will always be essential, you are one of the only people I see bar my husband, our conversation is important to me, like therapy, a space where I feel I can let it all out. This is my time and it’s a bonus I leave feeling a million dollars."