BUSINESS owners are proud to be marking their first anniversary after surviving a tough year which saw companies everywhere struggling with the economic fallout of the Covid-19 crisis.

Wiltshire’s first CBD café opened at Mams Gallery in December last year with the aim of helping people with their mental health and other conditions. 

Many of the products sold at Total Health Cafe include CBD – a chemical ingredient from the cannabis plant.

Emma had opened the gallery on Eastcott Hill years ago and wanted to add something extra that was a little bit different from the norm. 

She said: “I was seeing a lot of people with anxiety and depression coming to my art lessons at the gallery and we decided to start the café to benefit people and be a place where they could chill out. It’s a nice little conglomerate.

“It’s been a very strange year. It’s an odd time trying to keep a business going let alone building one in the middle of a pandemic. Normally we would be looking at things like how to attract more people to the business but instead we’re thinking about how we’re going to tick over and be there for the customers we have now. 

“We’ve managed to keep our heads above water this year, we’ve met a lot of lovely people. There’s a lot of things happening, a lot in the pipeline and we’re just looking forward to the easing of restrictions.”

Research into CBD suggests the oil can help people with anxiety, depression, and pain.
The ingredients used at Total Health Cafe do not include the THC chemical, which is illegal in the UK.

“It’s quite an achievement, I’m very proud of all of us and grateful for the customers who have supported us this year,” said Emma. 

“When I first opened the shop I was expecting to reach this milestone but when we were put into lockdown my heart sank and I wasn’t sure if we would. 

"But we’ve tailored the business around the situation, we started doing takeaways and food deliveries. We’ve had to go ahead on a very steep learning curve but I’m proud to reach this year anniversary.”

The café stayed closed for a month when the first national lockdown was announced in March. 

She said: “It was a huge financial loss just being closed for that month but when the government put out some grants we took advantage. 

“The goals I set out for my business I didn’t really get to achieve but I hope we can reach them next year instead. January and February was excellent. We did really well, which got us through March and April. We’re hopeful 2021 will be a year to get back to normal and we can start concentrating on growing the business rather than survive.”

Emma has some advice for those starting out in business. 

“Make sure what you’re doing is what your community wants and not just what you think is a good idea,” she said. 

“Be prepared to push forward and to keep going, it’s not going to be easy all the time, keep positive. 

“Also be flexible to change because anything can happen.”

Old Bank Antiques in Royal Wootton Bassett is also celebrating its first anniversary. 

It was a year ago that businessman Jon White breathed life into an historic Wiltshire building – the former HSBC bank at 143 High Street – and opened its doors. 

The ribbon was cut by Wiltshire TV presenter and antiques expert Paul Martin.
Within three months, the shop had to close during lockdown and this fledgling business – like so many others – had to go online. 

Jon said: “What a year it’s been. We could not have imagined that we would have had to shut up shop for weeks at a time due to Covid-19. However, we’ve not been deterred and we’re not alone. 

“We put our shop online and I’ve employed new staff to take the shop onward and upward in 2021.”

Nicky Noakes was appointed shop manager after spending almost a decade working in another retail outlet.

She said: I’m thrilled to be running such an interesting shop where every item has a story or a memory attached to it. 

"It’s been brilliant so far and we’re proud to be part of a high street which still has independent and individual retailers. I would urge everyone to please buy local to keep shops such as ours on the high street in 2021 and beyond.”

To make up for lost time, Old Bank Antiques and several other independent shops opened for seven days a week in the run-up to Christmas.  

Nicky said: “High streets are central to many communities and I would urge people to support those retailers. We sit alongside many quirky independent shops including

Sorelle Home and Gifts and Moonraker Books.”

Meanwhile, Nana’s Tea Room opened up in Wroughton High Street to help tackle loneliness in pensioners. 

Nana Day wanted to start her own business after giving birth to her twin boys and became lonely because she didn’t have much social interaction. 

She had worked in a tea room in Cardiff for three years before moving to Wiltshire to marry her husband. 

Then in January 2019 Nana took the leap and launched her own café. 

She was able to reopen ahead of Christmas when the second lockdown ended and in a Facebook post thanked the people of Wroughton and her guests for their support and encouragement during a difficult year.