Top Hat Drycleaners – Doing Our Bit…

With the Coronavirus pandemic yet to reach its peak and level off, April remains a difficult time for the world, the country and for our local Chiswick community. Each individual and every business has been called upon to play their part in seeing us through the worst - following Government advice, staying home, limiting travel and maintaining the all-important social distancing. For Top Hat, with drycleaning being an exempt business and encouraged to remain open to provide a service to the community, this produced a dilemma; whether to close to safeguard staff and echo the core ‘stay home' message or whether to provide some service to support those members of the public who still need drycleaning.

Top Hat Hammersmith

Owner Mike Moran was clear from the beginning that staff welfare was paramount and he recognised the public duty to follow Government guidelines. However, as the Government did also identify the role drycleaners play in public hygiene and support for key workers and those unable to work from home, Mike knew Top Hat needed to maintain some service. The outcome was a decision to open twice a week – on Wednesdays and Saturdays – for three hours each day, offering a skeleton service provided by Mike and volunteer staff members. No staff were required to work, all have been furloughed in accordance with Government advice, but sufficient individuals stepped forward to contribute to the reduced opening hours.

Top Hat cannot offer their usual full range of services, for example there is no repairs facility at present and the limited hours limit the speed of service, but it does mean that those in need can get their clothing cleaned. Some may not consider drycleaning to be ‘key work’ and Top Hat would never compare their contribution the brave efforts of our front-line NHS staff and other brave key workers continuing to keep the country safe and moving, but the Government directive includes the service and some people need this support, especially when there are so many demands on their time. Those who do not require the service can easily avoid it, but as long as the service is needed Top Hat will continue to provide it, supporting the true ‘key worker’ heroes and doing its bit, playing a small part in helping move towards a return to normality.

Advertorial

April 14, 2020