And breathe… Waiheke yogi Premaloka Treacy has been forced to look for silver linings after her new purpose-built yoga centre and café, Ritual, was shut down on its first day of business due to the level 4 lockdown.
Businesses around the island are all having to either hunker down and wait for a relaxation of restrictions, or find a way to keep on trucking through the latest Covid outbreak in the region, but after pouring so much time and effort into getting Ritual ready for its grand opening, the timing for Premaloka couldn’t have been worse.
“I can’t believe it to be honest,” she said, recounting how she’d been working round the clock with husband Paul and their six children to get ready for opening day.
“We had pushed and pushed to get that opening. It was a really busy day, I started with a 6am class in the morning and then I was straight into the kitchen and we opened the doors and we just kept on going.”
Premaloka had no idea New Zealand was on the brink of lockdown until her children arrived home from school and broke the news.
“I just said ‘No, it can’t be!’ I can remember when we went into lockdown the last time and I was thinking ‘Thank goodness we’re not open’. I have cooked for days getting everything ready and the fridges were stocked and then this happens.
“We had hoped we could take off and start earning and then all of a sudden you have ordered weeks and weeks’ worth of stock and you’re not earning. It’s going to be a huge financial strain on us.”
Premaloka only hopes the Government’s quick response means they won’t be shut for long. •Liza Hamilton
Full story and details in this week’s Gulf News… Out Now!!!
