But an end to the coronavirus lockdown last week meant more work than ever - and it's a welcome relief for one cheerful businesswoman.

Since Friday, for the first time since March, customers were legally allowed to sit down for a quiet cuppa.

That made for a massive day at Pickles and Tea, according to barista and manager Tristie Ashbrooke.

She said an end to five weeks of COVID-19 hibernation was a "daunting" prospect.

READ MORE:

"The minute they knew they were able to sit down it got really busy," she laughed, and the weekend only got even bigger.

The shop, which does in excess of 100 coffees a day, employs just one staff member, Ms Ashbrooke.

They're expecting even more business to return. The shop stayed open during the hibernation period for take-away and is well-positioned during the lockdown rollback.

Now, it is looking to hire a second barista in June to keep up with expected demand.

But the biggest problem is just uncertainty as to when and how those restrictions will be rolled back. Not all customers realise restrictions like the 10-person limit on seated customers are not a suggestion.

That's the hardest factor, she said. "We have rules and regulations we have to follow and people don't understand that's what we have to do."

The Leader wants to give local businesses a shout out to our thousands of followers, and a chance for them to spruik their operations and what they are doing in their return to business.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page on Wednesday evenings over the next month.