Patience called for Good Friday seafood frenzy during COVID-19 crisis

Harley and Johns Seafood at Fairy Meadow has been busy all week and the message is the earlier you shop the better.

Like other seafood outlets across the region Grant Logue has put a new plan in place to try and cope with the huge demand while still meeting all social distancing requirements.

Knowing how crazy the next couple of days are going to be Mr Logue shared his plan on social media last week to try and give everyone advance warning of how vital it was to shop early or pre-order.

The message read "we are encouraging people to put in orders as we can only have four customers in the shop. Orders will be picked up in the driveway".

"Friday the shop front will closed and it will be pick-up orders only".

Mr Logue also wrote "it is going to be a difficult Easter so please be patient and think of others".

But has already had to deal with some impatient people unhappy to wait or not doing the right thing with social distancing and touching what they shouldn't.

Given all seafood shops have long queues every year Mr Logue is encouraging those who did not preorder before the cut of on Tuesday to shop early on Thursday and allow plenty of time.

"Part of the problem is people can't gather in groups of 10 or 12 people this year. It is going to two to four people in most families so we are getting twice as many smaller orders," Mr Logue said.

"That is a big challenge. We have over 300 orders for the next two days when normally we might have 20 orders because everyone comes straight into the shop," he said.

"Because we can only have four people in the shop at once it is going to be a real challenge this year. In the past we have had 10 people serving".

Free guide to businesses open during the COVID-19 crisis

Part of Mr Logue's plan is to have staff come in to pack pre-orders from midnight on Thursday and Friday morning and place them out the back.

Then the four staff in the shop can just serve walk in customers on Thursday.

On Thursday and Friday pre-order pickups will be done in the driveway next to the shop.

The Illawarra Mercury has launched a Taking Care of Business campaign.

Each day we will highlight a local business who is adapting or evolving to be able to keep operating under these trying times.

If you know of a business adapting, please send us an email titled Taking Care of Business to cos@illawarramercury.com.au.

We have also put a call out and will run a list of cafes, restaurants and clubs who are offering takeaway or delivery on our Facebook page. If you know of an outlet now offering home delivery or takeaway, please let us know and add it to the list.

Here is more about the campaign:

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