Love Local and support small producers plea from Norfolk Deli boss
Mark and Rosie Kacary at the Norfolk Deli in Hunstanton, which has been sending Norfolk produce far and wide during lockdown Picture: Ian Burt - Credit: Archant
A deli owner is calling on shoppers to love local and help Norfolk producers battle back after lockdown.
Mark Kacary, at the Hunstanton Deli and Hunstanton Deli Cafe, is calling on customers to Love Local and support Norfolk producers as the region's economy fights back after lockdown Picture: Chris Bishop - Credit: Archant
Mark Kacary has kept the Norfolk Deli in Hunstanton open throughout lockdown.
He said while footfall fell during the height of the coronavirus outbreak, online demand for Norfolk produce soared, while web traffic increased tenfold.
“We’ve been rushed off our feet during lockdown,” he said. “We’ve been sending Norfolk produce all over the UK - Aberdeenshire, Cornwall, London, Kent, Cheshire, all over the place.
“There was an element of ‘you’re not going to be able to get to Norfolk this year, so we thought we’d send a bit of Norfolk to you’ looking at the messages.”
Mark Kacary at the Hunstanton Deli Cafe, which has reopened for takeaways Picture: Chris Bishop - Credit: Archant
MORE - How to Love Local and support Norfolk businesses without breaking the bank Mr Kacary said gin and jam hampers, along with Norfolk cheeses were currently among the most popular items.
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“Buying from businesses like us doesn’t just support us,” he added. “All the jams we sell are from small Norfolk businesses.
“They’re the sort of people who would go to the King’s Lynn Farmers’ Market, or Creake Abbey, but those farmers’ markets haven’t been around.”
Mr Kacary runs an online farmers’ market featuring 70 Norfolk producers, which offers 700 products.
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He has also re-opened his cafe to offer a takeaway service and brought two staff back from furlough as visitors begin to return to Hunstanton.
Other independents around the town have resumed trading, ranging from the country’s largest joke shop to gifts and interiors outlets.
MORE - Hunstanton mayor’s ‘go local’ appeal“It’s the independents that make Hunstanton different to Wells, that make Wells different to everywhere else,” he said. “You avoid being that carbon copy seaside resort.”
The outlook remains uncertain for small businesses along the length of the coastline, who have already lost getting on for half of their summer trade.
“If there’s a hard winter, if there’s a second wave, I don’t know how that will affect us,” said Mr Kacary.
While the government has signalled some pubs and hospitality businesses could be next in line to reopen next month, many warn they will be unable to operate if the 2m social distancing rule is not relaxed.
Mr Kacary is keeping a watching brief regarding whether he can put tables and chairs outside his cafe.
