Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, recently visited a family-run New Barnet store to highlight the essential work of small shops during the coronavirus outbreak.
Theresa showed her support for our local food retailers by visiting Green Hill Grocers. A Greek Cypriot family, headed by George and Chrys Voskou, have run the shop on the Great North Road for many years. Their son Emilios is now part of the team, and other family members have also been giving a hand during the Covid lockdown.
The enterprise has seen business boom over recent weeks, along with many other smaller stores selling locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables and other goods.
“This shop is right in the heart of the community and has stayed open to supply residents all the way through this crisis with fresh food and wonderful pastries,” said Theresa.
“It’s great to hear that the shop sells locally sourced items such as eggs from a farm near Hadley Wood. This is keeping local producers in business and helping with the health and well-being of residents by ensuring they have access to good quality food on their doorstep."
“It cannot be underestimated how important it is to see shops like Green Hill Grocers open for business. They are a reassuring presence in a time of uncertainty. I thank, George, Chrys, Emilios and all retail workers in Barnet for all their efforts in looking after their customers and keeping them suppled with the food and essentials they need.”
“This epidemic has caused so much heartbreak. I send my sympathies to everyone in my constituency, and beyond, who has had to battle with the virus or who has lost loved ones to it. It is especially tragic that loss of life has occurred amongst front line workers in the NHS, care homes, public transport and other vital services. We are immensely fortunate in this country that so many people in essential jobs, whether in the NHS or in our local food shops, have bravely carried on their work to keep us safe and keep our society and local services functioning through the emergency. I thank them all sincerely.”
Theresa recorded a short video during her visit which has attracted lots of interest on social media.
