A young Inverness businesswoman has revealed her fears for the future after temporarily shutting her cafe.
Nicole Maclennan has closed Perk Coffee and Doughnuts until January 25 to ensure the safety of her three fellow members of staff and customers.
The announcement follows a tumultuous year for the Church Street business, which experienced an 80% drop in trade.
Throughout the pandemic, the independent firm relied on deliveries and takeaway orders to survive.
The 27-year-old said: “It’s so scary and every day I am asking myself if I have made the right decision.
“You have all the fears about whether people will come back, and what’s it going to be like.
“Our sales had been a fraction of what they had been last year, so we were running at minimum capacity and using as much furlough as we needed.
“The safety of my staff is paramount. They have worked so hard over the last year and they are all really keen to get back to work and get moving again.
“I just have to do everything in my power to make it as safe as possible for everyone and then take it from there.”
Miss Mclennan added: “It’s not the easiest hand to be dealt, but we just have to keep our chins up and move forward somehow.
“For businesses like mine, and businesses all around us, the community have been amazing.
“Even though people don’t have a lot of money to spend, they are coming out and supporting us, so that’s something to be super grateful for.”