The current lockdown and the most recent restrictions on click and collect comes as a yet another blow to local retailers. Shops which had enjoy an uplift in trade in the run-up to Christmas, were forbidden from having sales and then had to pull the shutters down when the country went into Level 5 as the number of COVID-19 cases soared. From early December we were very busy and sales for the period were actually up on last year, commented Jim McDonnell of Tony McDonnell Menswear. However, not being able to have a sale in the store was a big let down. Normally St Stephen s Day would be our busiest day but not this year. Our post Christmas trade was down 50%.