Falkirk cafe owner hopes next phase will bring increased footfall to town centre

And none more so than those in the hospitality industry who may be among the last to see their businesses return to some sort of normal.

Nicky Don, owner of Pots in Falkirk’s Cow Wynd, is among those busy behind the scenes thinking of measures that could be brought in to fully open the cafe safely.

Although she had initially been forced to close the doors, she re-opened for takeaway customers only last month.

“I’m open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the moment for takeaway but it’s not busy enough to be here all week,” she said.

“I have a lot of regular customers who keep coming every day and I’m hoping if phase two gets announced then hopefully it will let more businesses and shops open, which would mean an increase in footfall in the town centre.

“We’ll see how the next phase goes but, hopefully, if the town gets busier we’d be able to open for four days.

“At the moment a Saturday on the High Street is very strangely quiet but if more shops are allowed to open then it would bring people back and we’d look to open on a Saturday too.

“I’m desperately looking forward to being able to open properly again. Hopefully soon we’ll hear when we might be able to reopen and get bums on seats again.

“We have a plan worked out for how we could reopen and maintain the proper distancing – there’s four tables that wouldn’t get used.

“It’s not a massive space that we have got but you have got to work with what you have.

“At the moment we’re second guessing what is going to come when. I’m thinking we could do this, or do that, but we really have to wait on the official guidance.”

But despite the current situation, Nicky is trying to remain positive.

She said: “For me the positives are that our door is open and regular customers are still coming in which is really nice.

“It gives us some hope that when we’re properly open they will still come and sit in with their coffee.”