The owner of the first business in Medway to be fined for breaking lockdown restrictions has vowed to come back stronger than ever after phenomenal support from the community.

The couple who run Copenhagen Blue have also given an insight in to the struggles of running a small independent retailer during lockdown.

On Tuesday, Katherine Armstrong revealed her business had been fined £1,000 for selling a T-shirt to an undercover trading standards officer. She will be appealing the penalty.

While she admits she had broken the rules by selling an item, she feels she has been the victim of over-zealous enforcement and described the events leading to the fine as "entrapment".

Mrs Armstrong, who has been running her business in the town for more than 16 years, said 'The way they have acted is really the lowest of the low' but described the backing she has received from her regular shoppers and fellow traders as "phenomenal".

The Scandinavian-born business woman said:"It shows the tremendous community spirit and strength in humanity we have in Rochester. We shall be back when this is over (lockdown) and we shall be back stronger than ever."

The council said the shop had allowed a purchase to be made in store rather than using a click-and-collect service, having previously been issued with a warning the week before.

Now, Mrs Armstrong's husband has shared the difficulties of running a small business during lockdown.

Alistair said: "When the first lockdown happened at the end of March 2020, it was essentially an ‘adapt or die’ situation.

"Overnight, businesses that previously relied on footfall for their trade had to start an online business. Many had previously found this to be prohibitive and economically unviable.

"Most landlords were unsympathetic to requests relating to lease obligations, so with this burden of fixed overheads many of Rochester’s small independent traders, Copenhagen Blue being one of them, switched their business model to daily social media output and offerings of free delivery service.

"It is a testament to this entrepreneurial spirit, hard work and I am sure many sleepless nights that most of Rochester’s independent traders have survived the hardships of the numerous lockdowns. Doing everything we can to survive.

"Fortunately, Rochester and the other Medway towns rallied behind this. When trading reopened against for the first time in late June early July there had almost certainly been a fundamental shift in people’s shopping habits. It was almost as if the lockdown had made people appreciate their local area and want to try and do everything they could to ensure its buoyancy and continuity.

'When the first lockdown happened at the end of March 2020, it was essentially an ‘adapt or die’ situation...'

"Our historic Rochester High Street is more than just an assembly of retailers, it is a community. Not just of the business owners and shopkeepers, but also of the customers they serve.

"When we were all forced back in to trading lockdowns in November and then just before Christmas, it was devastating. Not just from the obvious financial viewpoint, but also from a mental health perspective of the local community.

"The click and collect service is for a lot of people the only time they may have had any form of social interaction that week. Retailers have put in all of the measures that by law they are required to. Shops closed to the public, click and collect only, social distancing observations."

A release on Medway Council's website revealed a clothes retailer on the High Street was the first business in the Towns to be fined for breaching regulations. While the shop was not named, there are only three in the High Street.

Mr Armstrong explained: "It didn’t take long for online speculation to question who it was. Social media at times can be a very toxic and vindictive arena, and it didn’t take long for the keyboard warriors to come out demanding that the shop be named so that financial ruin could be rained down on them.

"The stress to one's mental health by such people is an unimaginable experience. Kathrine was really left with no option therefore but to issue a statement.

"It is a testament to not only her but to the people of Medway that she has received over one thousand wishes of wellbeing and support, I know she has taken great comfort from this."

Ruth Du-Lieu, Assistant Director of Frontline Services at Medway Council, said: “We appreciate this has caused some debate amongst the community, but it is unfair for one business to repeatedly break the rules when other businesses are fully complying with the government’s restrictions. Unfortunately, this was the case with the Rochester shop.

“Residents have, on a number of occasions, raised concerns with us about businesses potentially breaking the rules in Rochester High Street and after witnessing the rules being breached we provided the owner with advice and a formal warning.

"Upon our return visit the business was witnessed breaking the government’s restrictions again and when our staff member approached the shop and enquired about an item, they were sold it despite not having ordered through the shop’s click and collect service, in line with government guidance.

“We do not like having to penalise our small local businesses; they are very important to Medway’s economy and we have done a great deal in the past twelve months to support businesses as much as possible.

"This includes regular visits and follow ups to hundreds of local businesses to provide advice and guidance on the government restrictions and to ensure that measures are in place to protect staff and customers.

“However, we also have a duty to ensure that government restrictions are upheld and despite warnings, we had to take action in this instance. Issuing a fine is always a last resort.

“We are pleased that across Medway, the vast majority of businesses have implemented the necessary measures to operate within government guidelines."

More than £82 million in support to local businesses has been distributed during the pandemic and business owners can apply on the council website.

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