Coronavirus update: the latest news from Yorkshire businesses

Leeds Building Society says it is working to maintain service levels across all its channels, particularly for vulnerable customers.

Jaedon Green, Leeds Building Society’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “We’re alert to the challenges of living in these unprecedented times, especially for our more vulnerable customers.

“For this reason, we have introduced a number of ‘quiet times’ where we can prioritise relevant support in branches.

“We’ve allocated two ‘quiet periods’ on weekdays, between 10.30am and 11.30am, and then from 2.30pm to 3.30pm, during which colleagues will be focused on the needs of older and vulnerable customers.

“We’ve been following the advice of Public Heath England and taking precautionary steps to protect the health and wellbeing of our colleagues and members since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

“Our priority is to keep our business running as usual for the benefit of our members, including vulnerable customer groups.

“This includes keeping our branches open as far as we are able and we’re regularly updating our website – at www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk – with changes to our operations or working practices.

“In branch we’re keeping areas available throughout the day for conversations requiring extra privacy, and are showing customers how they can self-serve, for example, using online services to save them a visit in person.

“Importantly, we’re asking anyone who’s been asked to self-isolate at this time to not use branch services, so we can protect the welfare of other customers and our branch colleagues.”

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Rotherham-based tent and marquees supplier, Gala Tent, says it is still confident of further growth, despite the threat posed by the virus.

Managing director Jason Mace, said: “I believe the country has a rough ride ahead over the next quarter, but we remain optimistic as in these types of situations is where Gala Tent becomes more creative.

“We are already seeing signs of where we can provide a vital service.  The emergency services are some of our biggest market bases right now. We are seeing an uptake in orders for tents for storage for hospitals.

“We are also ready to deploy portable hygiene testing tents when we get the go ahead.”

He said the business was also seeing an increase in enquiries for home workers looking to “bring the outside in”, where individuals stuck at home can still work, play and rest under a Gala Tent cover.

Mace added: “If the Government does shut the majority of UK business down, I have already informed staff they will be paid in full until this pandemic is over.”

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For the first time, Yorkshire speciality food supplier, Delifresh, has launched a last-minute online store and delivery service for the local community.

Delifresh, which usually supplies its produce to top chefs and restaurants in the region, launched the store on March 18th in order to help support the local community’s high demands for groceries and ensure those who need it have access to high quality food.

The site was created and launched in a day by Delifresh’s head of innovation development, Robert Ramsden, generating over 100 orders within the first few hours of going live.

Ramsden said: “We saw what was happening in our local communities – empty shelves, panic buying and isolated people not getting access to the items they really needed – so we decided to act fast and open our inventory to the public.

“We’re also dropping off produce to local care homes whilst we’re out delivering to customers, as we know those who are vulnerable are struggling the most right now and need our support.

“The response so far has been amazing. Our Facebook post has reached over 101,000 people already, plus we’ve generated over 100 orders in the first few hours.

“We started off in Bradford but quickly got inundated with enquiries asking us to expand our delivery to Leeds, York and Harrogate – which we’re now supplying.”

The new site stocks a range of goods which are hard to find in supermarkets now, including pasta, tinned tomatoes and fresh vegetables.

The team is also working with local farmers and other suppliers to add goods such as fresh meat, toilet paper and even hand sanitiser to the site.