Hive Originals

COVID-19 Business Update

UPDATE: 31st April 2020

Just a quick update, which I will continue to do as time passes or as things change.

Business continues and we are still taking online orders – long may that continue! Thank you all for your orders – you are definitely keeping me busy for which I’m very grateful for. We are still using the services of Royal Mail but service times have definitely been impacted, as have the methods of getting your parcels to the post office.

Our local Post Office is now operating on reduced opening hours. Coupled with the fact that it is based within a Supermarket, I have queued for many hours this past week trying to get access. I have therefore made the decision to only go to the Post Office 3 times a week, rather than daily. This is to a) make the best use of my time so I can do more production and b) limit my own risk by reducing the times I go outside into public spaces. This is only temporary and until things get back to some kind of normal again.

I can also report that Royal Mail’s delivery times appear to be much slower than normal due to their current sickness rates and the increase in volume. I have also heard that some postal collections have not even happened and so further adding to the delay.

If you wish to purchase for gifts and expect a delivery for a particular date, please order in plenty of time. Also, please leave me a note at the checkout stage so I can try to rush your order through if needed.

I continue to follow government guidelines because the reality is that if I happen to show any symptoms myself, I will have no choice but to go into full self isolation. If that happens, online orders will be temporarily suspended until I’m well again and can come out of isolation. Fingers crossed, we don’t have to face this possibility.

Stay safe! C x

24th March 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is a worry for us all and is having an impact on the health of our loved ones, the businesses we rely upon and the way we live our daily lives. As we all continue to navigate through these unique and evolving challenges, I want you to know that: 

We are still open for business and are here for you. 

I am fortunate that we work on a isolated farm and whilst I am normally supported by an amazing team of casual workers, for the foreseeable future, I will be working alone. By opting to work alone, I am self isolating myself and therefore reducing the risk to you, our loyal customers and my own family. My only visit out is that to the Post Office which may change in the coming days, please see my point further below.

The downside of lone working is that I can only do so much, so in busy periods our usual service times may be implicated slightly. Please bear with me whilst I juggle many plates all at once!

All our events have been cancelled until late summer so we are now only trading via our website. I am no longer accepting visitors to our unit for business meetings or customer collections as per Government instructions. 

I can, for the time being, continue to use Royal Mail to post items out to you. At this point in time it does mean that I have to go out to a Post Office to post your parcels (I usually go when there is no queue and the PO staff are behind a glass fronted counter). I will evaluate this on a daily basis and if I feel that a collection service from a courier is a better option, then I will do it. We are still offering our FREE P&P for orders over £40, although this may temporarily change if I have to change to a courier service. 

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your ongoing support and understanding in these strange times. I have plenty of stock available at the moment and plenty of raw materials to make more product. All of this may change of course but simply put, as long as we have a postal service either by Royal Mail or Courier, then we still have a business so keep ordering!

My final words are that I wish that you and your families remain safe and well. Use this lockdown time to pamper yourselves, look after one another and catch up on all those little jobs that never really usually get done! I look forward to the future where we can once again meet face to face at events throughout the country. 

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