This article appears as part of the Food Matters newsletter.

Perhaps one of the only silver linings to come from the months of lockdown which began in 2020 was a renewed appreciation for our local food and drink heroes.

Confined to our home neighbourhoods, the shutters pulled down on our favourite coffee shops, restaurants and bars were a daily reminder of the hole their temporary closures had left in our lives.

Once suddenly snatched away, we realised we had taken for granted the simple pleasures of an impromptu pint on a sunny afternoon or a sweet bakery treat to brighten up even the most difficult of days.

And although a small price to pay to contain the virus, questionable homemade cocktails or overly ambitious kitchen experiments were no replacement for the real deal.

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Later, as we dutifully donned our facemasks and were allowed just a little more freedom, the importance of these businesses became all the more apparent.

A flat white made by your regular barista felt like the ultimate treat while the small thrill of seeing your favourite takeaway back in action was akin to finding exactly what you had asked for under the tree on Christmas morning as a kid.

The novelty, we thought, would never wear off.

But four years on, those that remain face new challenges and need our support now more than ever.

Take for example the East End of Glasgow, in particular the Dennistoun area, which has seen a concerning number of closures despite seeming to experience a boom during the pandemic.

Wild Flours Bakery, East and the pioneering Zero Waste Market are just some of the names that have disappeared from its streets since Covid restrictions eased.

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This week Bilson Eleven, regarded as one of the city's fine dining restaurants, made headlines with news of a rebrand under new ownership to keep up with changing demand.

They said: "It was always going to be a challenge – fine dining in Glasgow's east end, but we carried on regardless. Covid was the start of new challenges, and we powered on.

"Then the cost of living, business rates, the hike in energy costs to name but a few, meant we'd nothing left to give and couldn't carry on.”

Then there’s Jacky Stabler of Full Circle Bakes on nearby Cumbernauld Road who experienced sell-out success and queues down the street upon opening in 2021.

Although the story of her relocation recently featured in The Herald is a happy one, prompted by the need for a larger shop, she also spoke frankly of an unsustainable decline in footfall as a result of East End locals returning to work.

The Herald:
“I’ve lived in Dennistoun for eight years, so I’ve seen the changes first-hand,” she said.

“During Covid, it became this amazing place that was full of community spirit which made sense because everyone was staying at home.

“But it feels like there’s a lot less of that now.

“Leaving our original shop is something that I would have loved to have avoided but with the current economy we needed somewhere with more people about.”

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There’s no escaping the simple fact that times are tough for both businesses and customers at the moment, but let’s continue shouting about the importance of eating, drinking and spending locally where possible and never forget just how much we missed them when they were gone.