Restrictions put in place by the government due to the coronavirus pandemic have put a major strain on small businesses and it is no different in Armidale.
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To combat the strain placed on family-owned enterprises, a host of Armidale-based businesses have come together to deliver groceries, or pick them up for free, to locals.
Pete McCook took over DJs Wholesale Fruit Market before the coronavirus pandemic struck.
His usual customer base includes pubs, clubs, restaurants and schools in town which have all shut up shop.
In a bid to keep his and other food supply businesses around Armidale in operation, Mr McCook developed Get Fresh Direct, a website aimed at supplying the public with their groceries.
He's teamed up with Moxon's Bakery, the Goldfish Bowl and Norco to provide an online order service where customers within the city limits can have their groceries delivered, or pick them up for free from the Railway Hotel's drive-through bottle shop.
"We had a fairly significant hit, as did a lot of the suppliers in the industry - meat, groceries, alcohol - all the guys are taking a massive hit," Mr McCook said.
"We are still supplying a few cafes that are still operating but we were really just looking to adapt and keep our guys employed.
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"Part of it was leadership from the Welder's Dog guys who put together their bunker box, filling it full of local produce, they have been a massive supporter of ours through that box, they have been ordering all their fruit and veg through us.
"Those three young guys were in the same boat and led the way in terms of how we can support local businesses.
"I am just trying to carry on from that leadership that they started."
Mr McCook began delivering on Monday.
"We went from nothing to a full functioning online store within about a week, not a lot of sleep and a lot of challenges but hopefully we've pulled it off," he said.
"We've definitely go orders flowing, we started delivering this morning [Monday] and delivered to homes all day.
"The other key part of the puzzle is the Railway.
"Commercially we can only deliver within the Armidale city limits at the moment.
"We needed a convenient local pickup so we have gone with the Railway drive-through bottle shop."
Mr McCook plans to add more local businesses to the Get Fresh Direct website including a meat supplier.
There's even plans to work with the Railway's chef Mark Doyle to incorporate pre-cooked meals such as lasagnas and quiches into the order service.
"I am sure it will morph and evolve from where it is today," Mr McCook said.
"It is really trying to stimulate some ideas with everyone with their own community of people they need to feed and we are trying to get some local businesses up and running and getting some revenue flowing again."
Although the website delivers groceries which are found on supermarket shelves, Mr McCook said it wasn't about taking business away from the large stores, more about helping out those who can't get to the shops or want to avoid risks associated with being in public spaces.
"We don't begrudge anyone going to Coles or Woolies because they're local employees but anyone who is worried about going out, particularly the elderly, we are happy to create a service," he said.
There's no limit on what people can buy and how many times you can order.
Delivery within the city limits is $7.50 and pick-up is free at the Railway Hotel.
For more information or to order your next lot of groceries, visit getfreshdirect.com.au