In like a lion, out like a lamb: LK's Cheltenham Decorators are busy in March.

The 19th March marks the official start of spring! I know I speak (or write!) for many of us when I say that this can't come soon enough, that we're all eager for the winter gales from the north and the east to desist and for the earth to tilt on its axis just that little bit faster and usher in warmer climes! Well, March is the month of transition, coming 'in like a lion and going out like a lamb', and this year for many of us it marks a hoped for re-awakening after the last year of lockdowns and restrictions.

For those of us in the decorating and painting trade, there is a palpable feeling of more than just a seasonal spring: there is a pent-up demand amongst the citizens of Cheltenham, and indeed nationwide, and we are starting to see this spring release its energy of coiled tension in advanced bookings for exterior and interior painting alike. It is also true that the abeyance of foreign holidays has diverted funds from travelling and into home improvements, and this is a phenomenon that we decorators have certainly noticed. (As have other trades who we partner with on some projects, from builders to glaziers and plumbers to cleaners).

This gives a confidence going forward that I think will see the economy rebound perhaps quicker than some forecasters were predicting. Some in the hospitality industry have used the most recent lockdown to update and refresh their premises, and this is wise as it looks as though mass foreign travel for the holiday seasons will not be a realistic proposition this year, so domestic venues and destinations will be exceptionally busy (provided the vaccination roll out continues to be successful). Already, there is some gossip that cruise companies will be offering 'domestic' tours around the British Isles as that will be a way of doing business within covid restrictions (and they are said to have tens of thousands of bookings!).

So for me, March of 2021 and the onset of spring is a more optimistic time than it usually is, for it brings with it renewed hope that the coming months will see our liberty restored, our businesses thrive, and the challenge of the future accepted.