Coronavirus in Edinburgh: Herculean effort to feed and equip Capital's army of home workers

Mike Callender, left, is prioritising elderly and vulnerable customers

BUSTLING business owners have told of the mammoth effort to keep the Capital’s army of home workers fed and equipped.

While shops and offices close, a handful of well-placed suppliers are providing for both workforce and residents.

They range from foodbox delivery firms bringing food to the door to phone and computer repair shops fixing faults in hastily made home offices.

Co-owner of East Coast Organics, Mike Callender, is having to turn new customers away after a surge in business.

The East Lothian firm has seen an 18 percent hike in deliveries from around 1,700-a-week to 2,000.

“Most have stopped taking orders because they’re too busy,” said Mike, 55. “I think it was last Friday when we started getting really busy and I had to ask our IT guy to stop orders coming in online.

“Still a few crept through and people still managed to log on and put in an order - we were getting a new customer every ten minutes.

“We took a few emails from elderly and vulnerable who we prioritised and put at the top of the list. Anyone else we told to order and collect from the shop.

“Existing customers are buying a lot of fruit - I think because of the rumours that vitamin C or D can help.

Mike has taken on a few more staff with 30 in all “rushed off their feet” to meet demand with six vans going out daily.

Delivering organic only produce either grown in polytunnels on the farm or elsewhere, their firm has never been busier in its 24-year history.

“We’re even busier that during the food scares like foot and mouth, which is interesting,” added Mike.

The firm has already sold out of leeks and its North Berwick supplier of potatoes and carrots is expected to run out in the next two weeks.

“We’re still getting English apples which is good but Spanish produce has gone up in price.”

Owner of Leomax phone and PC repair shop on Leith Walk, Muhammad Ashraf, 44, said: “It’s mostly people picking up repaired phones and computers.

“Everyone’s working from home so they need them - and other stuff like stationery too. Some have been buying computer cables.

“We’re only open fewer hours from 12pm to 4pm daily.”