'I thank the people of Wakefield with all my heart' - takeaway's heartfelt message to city after a difficult year

That’s the heartfelt message Ben Atkinson, the owner of Bear Kitchen on Westgate End.

The popular takeaway stayed open during the first lockdown in March and Ben moved into the flat above the shop with three other members of staff and couldn’t visit his family for two months.

He said: “We isolated together – myself, the head chef, front of house manager and another member of staff.

“Two of them already lived there and we decided we would join them. It became a really intense living and working environment.

“I knew at the other side where my children were there was no school, no support networks, they couldn’t see grandparents, and we survived mainly on Zoom calls and WhatsApp messages trying to create an element of normality for the kids so it didn’t affect them as much.”

It’s a scenario that will be familiar for people around the country who had to live without loved ones for long periods of time.

The Express is urging readers to support local businesses during a difficult year.

Bear Kitchen’s Ben backed the call and hoped that people could try to help out those in industries that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic.

He said: “It’s been a torrid year for a lot of sectors and I think even now we are starting to see aspects of positivity with the vaccine, it’s important people support the industries that have been most affected.

“Over time support will be needed more as we see the after effects of this year.”