SIMON’S Butchers, in Staindrop, has come up with a unique way to entertain customers queuing up outside while waiting to enter the shop.
Usually, his windows are used as an unofficial village notice board, advertising events and services.
However, these have been replaced with cartoons highlighting the humourous side of the coronavirus lockdown.
Simon Hill, who owns the business, said: “My fiance, Amanda, was stood in the queue and noticed most of my posters were out of date and most of the events had been cancelled, so she thought of putting up the cartoons.”
The illustrations were downloaded from the internet and printed out. The shop, which is open from 8am to 1pm Monday to Saturday, only allows one customer inside at a time to ensure social distancing can take place, resulting in as many as four or five people waiting outside.
Mr Hill said he had seen an increase in local people visiting his shop since the lockdown came into force.
He added: “It is absolutely brilliant.
“It has given me a lot more customers from Staindrop and the surrounding villages. A lot of people say they will carry on supporting us.”
However, the range of produce on offer has changed somewhat.
Mr Hill said: “To help out local customers we have small bags of flour, or anything else that they can’t find in the supermarkets or the Spar.
“We do have a reduced stock list because a lot of the cakes and small suppliers have shut down.”
People who enjoy the Taylor’s pies will be happy to know that the bakery has reopened and were back on sale as from Wednesday last week.
