"The minute Boris told everyone to work at home again, that's when we thought s***" Like thousands of people running bars, clubs and restaurants across the country, Nick Curtis and Andrew Underwood have been put through the mill for almost two years.
They run the Eagle bar and Richmond Tea Rooms in Manchester city centre. READ MORE: Those who fear Omicron could be the 'final straw' for their futures These are businesses and jobs that rely entirely on customers feeling able to leave the house and socialise.
That comfort has never fully returned since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. After jumping through all sorts of hoops to reopen in the spring, things were just starting to look better.