Has anything near you permanently changed or not survived the lockdowns?

[Christmasconcerts]

A toddler class I went to has stopped. It went on for ten years but struggled after the lockdowns and now has stopped for good. I know it’s silly to feel a bit sad - the baby and toddler market is saturated with classes.

I wondered if anyone else has had something permanently close its doors after lockdowns.

IKEA smaland. Was so handy, the kids loved it, DH and I could make decisions without the kids getting bored, and then we would have a cheap IKEA lunch. Hardly ever go now because with 3 kids it's too stressful.

School events, e.g. The ks2 concert, the class photographs and the lunchtime/after school clubs. The lunchtime/after school clubs in particular are much missed by the children living in poverty or with higher levels of SEN who can't access mainstream clubs outside school like scouts, football etc.

Staying all day at soft play. Now it's 2 hours only for the same price as all day used to be. Also more and more soft plays are closing.

A personal service from the GP. I have postnatal depression and I used to have a yearly appointment with the g p who would ask me how I was, what the dc were up to as well as review my medication. Now I just get a phone call from a pharmacist who just asks me if I'm suicidal and if the tablets are working. The GP seemed to genuinely care but the pharmacist doesn't know me or seem to care. Also my ds2 tried to kill himself during lockdown and nobody from the g p surgery asked how he was.

My brother lost his business when the landlord demanded 2 years rent.
A good friend who is an Apothecary and Masseuse had just finally grown and established an amazing and successful business (built up over 15 yrs) with a group of other alternative practitioners where she owned the building, lost everything and is now working out of her home alone.

@flowerchild2000 that sounds too sad. I hope things are a little easier by now.

@elliejjtiny I really hope your son is better now.

Me. I've permanently changed ... not in a good way

The way we see doctors is permanently changed.

Work but I think this is mostly positive!

Oh this too. A major supermarket has closed down as they couldn't afford the rent. The area will be turned into flats.

This comment will be a bit controversial. WFH has also not helped high streets, in your lunch breaks you might have popped out to pick something up from a local shop? now you WFH you don't!! hence indie shops shut as it is all ordered online!!

@narkyspirit This last one is swings and roundabouts for food businesses depending on where exactly you live.

Where I live the cafes and coffee shops are busier at breakfast time and lunch time due to more people working from home.

In fact one coffee shop that was going to be a beauty salon before Covid re-opened back up as a coffee shop. It is very busy on week day mornings.

My (ex) best friend

@teaandtoastwithmarmite A lot of my friendships didn't survive. Talk about hard times making me find out who my real friends are. Edit: but these were social friends, not my best friend.

Edinburgh Butterfly World closed in COVID and has never reopened. It was both a destination and an institution. I'm in my 40s and remember days there as a child. Luckily I was able to take my DC before it closed. There was talk of a community buy out but the landlord/owner was not interested. Landmark near Aviemore has the exhibits now apparently. No idea what happened to the staff. Very sad

Oh I didn't know butterfly world had gone - we took the kids when they were little and it was great.

The local kids disability swimming lessons. Scrapped right at the start of lockdown and there's nothing remotely like it and never will be. Got to try to get my son into mainstream lesson really.

Also I have not been out in the evening once since pre lockdown with my friends. Not my choice.