The Winds Of Change

I’m sure that’s a song title or a lyric from a song… I’m reminded of it as slowly ‘the winds change’ to my favourite time of year.

There has been a distinct chill some mornings and I’ve even enjoyed the odd log fire on an evening… in August!

That said, I’m still using sunblock in spf50, as certain chilly-start days have turned into the odd scorcher, and I definitely don’t fancy another dance with skin cancer!

If the English didn’t have the weather, what else would we talk about? An old friend of mine banned talking about the weather in his office and tried to impose a fine for charity, for the frequent offenders… I think he raised quite a bit.

Forgive me, for talking about the weather, but I do love chilly days with sunshine and an Alpine crispness in the air, as the leaves start to turn colour to their Autumn glory and the days shorten.

I always loved it as a boy and I’ve always preferred layering up Autumn/Winter clothing… so much more interesting.

On the way to us, as I write, is some of our Autumn stock, bought long before lockdown with positive intentions based on experience and past performance.

One thing of certainty in these uncertain times, is that it will get colder, the sun will rise and the river will flow. The trees will shed their russet glory and grow anew the following Spring and all this, as it was 100 years ago, and will repeat, each and every year 100 years from now, when all who might read this now are long gone.

Pandemics, The Plague, World Wars, terrorism… whatever, the sun still comes up, the moon comes out and the river flows… unless that is we manage to destroy this planet.

Business for many and the economy is less certain, we have seen a huge change in shopping habits and mood and as usual in any sort of pandemic or crisis, I see some who have prospered greatly, having adapted to market demands… it’s as if the market has polarised .

I spent another night and day in London last week, and was greatly saddened to see some closed up shops on Savile Row and on any other street I wandered down.

Some, the ones with plenty of money behind them, will I am sure reopen, many I fear will not, with blanked out windows and notices on the door, it’s very sad to see, someone’s dream and living, second or third generation legacy now but a memory.

We have tightened our own belts at R-W, but remain positive that we will get through these more challenging times.

Christopher, Andrew and myself are all working a day less to keep numbers to a minimum and we have shortened the working day, closing at 4.30pm.

Sadly, whilst under government instructions, we were all forced to close back in March, we were not all forced to re open on June 15th and Harrogate is somewhat ‘patchy’ in its current retail offer, with some shops just opening Friday, Saturday and Sunday and some alternate days.

For those who rent there premises, the rent unfortunately hasn’t gone away and landlords, particularly those with commercial borrowing, want their lolly!

That said, we look forward to seeing you this season and we remain open for business and a chat, and if you prefer, we are available for a private out of hours appointment.

We hope you enjoy the forthcoming change in the season, but hope that we can all retain some normality this year and next.