COVID-19 lockdown a butcher’s heaven

Brendon Wilson, owner of Tannum and Kin Kora Meats, said he cannot wait for the hospitality sector in the town to reignite following COVID-19.

DELI DELIGHT: Taylor Kereopa, Brandon Wilson and Toni O'Brien say business has been "flat out" due to COVID-19 lockdown.

An experienced butcher said the closure of Gladstone’s pubs and clubs due to COVID-19 lockdown has led to a business boom.

Despite the upturn Brendon Wilson, owner of Tannum and Kin Kora Meats, said he could not wait for local venues in town to reopen.

“We have missed that part of our job too, we service a lot of the pubs, clubs and restaurants in the area,” he said.

“It has been a lot to us, but more so a loss to them because we’ve still had our retail section which has been travelling really strong.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back and getting those guys back on their feet.”

Mr Wilson said when COVID-19 lockdown was announced in early March, the stores he owned in Tannum Sands and Kin Kora went through another Christmas phase.

“It was so busy that it caught me and my staff completely unawares,” Mr Wilson said.

“We probably tripled customer numbers and things like that, it was amazing and all hands on deck really.”

“Trading throughout the duration of COVID-19 lockdown has remained strong, not as ridiculous as the first two weeks but still really positive.”

He said there have been upgrades to the level of sanitisation his shops go through daily as a result of COVID-19.

“Our industry is always pretty sharp in that regard anyway, but the girls are forever wiping down counters and benches,” he said.

“A month or so ago we had to have someone stand at the door and count customers in and out to ensure we kept to social distancing laws too.”

Mr Wilson believes people keep shopping at his stores because they have the best meat.

“There is no doubt about it, we don’t claim to be the cheapest but we certainly have the best quality.”