It has been another busy and interesting year in our region. We revisit some of our most popular premium stories from 2022. Originally published on March 5.
A Rotorua burger bar owner now faces running her business alone as Covid-19 has forced her to make the "really hard decision" to let her staff go.
It comes as Rotorua businesses battle with staffing shortages due to isolation requirements, with owners saying it was "getting tougher each day" and rising Covid cases meant customers were "disappearing".
Yesterday, 464 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the Lakes District Health Board region and six people were in Rotorua hospital with Covid. (yesterday = 4 march)
FTP Vegan Eats owner Kaya Sparke said she had considered closing her business but instead had found ways to "push through".
Sparke let go of her two staff members, one of whom had been with the business from the beginning.
"We're really really gutted about that. That was a really hard decision ... we pushed that off to the very last possible thing that we wanted to do.
"We're hoping obviously their circumstances may change but if things do pick back up around October when the borders open again and restrictions may have lifted, we're hoping they'll join the team again."
Sparke said it was "pretty much" just her running the business now with her mother.
"I'm hoping that I won't catch Covid any time soon ... but with having to let our staff go we also had to acknowledge that would mean there wouldn't be anyone to cover shifts if I do contract Covid.
"I'm coping with it at the moment and I think with the hope that things will change and will get better, that's what's sort of getting me through at this point."
FTP Vegan Eats was now open three days a week instead of five.
"[It] is really sad because we want to be able to be open and offering food all of the time ... but it's just not possible in the current climate."
Sparke said the cancellation of the Rotorua night market had "a huge impact" on the business.
"We have a food truck as well and so we'd take that down there every week and that was actually a huge portion of our weekly revenue.
"To lose that was definitely a big blow for us."
The burger bar would have to close for the isolation period if Sparke or her flatmates got Covid and she had considered closing now.
"But we didn't want to let go just yet.
"If you have the option to support a local business, that's amazing. And you're supporting someone's livelihood, someone in your community that has bills to pay so it's a really really cool thing to be able to do."
Fairy Springs Countdown store manager Lisa Martin said it was "getting tougher each day" as she estimated around 6 or 7 per cent of staff were self-isolating.
"Because our distribution centre has also been hit in Auckland, it is difficult to get product. But the team are rallying together and we're just doing everything that we can to make sure that we do have stock available for the Rotorua community."
The store had some staff from a temp agency and it was also trying to employ more staff members.
Martin said the online business had been "extremely busy" but customers seemed to be shopping "normally" at this stage.
"Just be kind to the team and have a little bit of patience. You may not get your favourite product but we are trying."
Our House and The Rotorua International owner Tim Smith said he had reduced opening hours for "morale" and financial reasons due to a lack of customers.
While some staff were isolating, "lots of staff" were available but there were not enough hours for them.
"As Covid's rising really quickly, customers are just disappearing."
On Thursday, Smith served just eight people over lunch when normally he might serve up to 100. (Thurs = 3 march)
The business had gradually decreased its trading hours in the last few months from five days a week to two.
"It's definitely temporary - there's no way that we will give up and I see that we are in our final stages of Covid and I just can't wait to get over to the other side safely.
"As people can do so, please keep supporting their favourite local."
Atlantis Books owner Fraser Newman said the Omicron outbreak had been affecting staffing and if anything happened to him, the shop would have to temporarily close for "a week or two".
"It looks like for the next month I'm just planning on being here alone seven days a week."
Teariffic Bubble Milk Tea owner Chris Senerpida said he could no longer give his staff as many hours due to the Rotorua night market being cancelled.
"With the traffic light [system], there are fewer customers going out so that's also one of the impacts."
Millers Rotorua store manager Janet Collins said all of its staff were "safe and well" but the town was "very quiet".
"I think a lot of people are frightened to come out."
Sunset Pricecutter Superette manager Harshil Vekaria said it had "not yet" been affected by staff having to isolate.
However, he had noticed supply chain issues with cigarettes as they came from Auckland.
"Now it takes around six days or so to turn around ... but that's all right, I can understand the pain for those guys so that's fine for me."
Natures Superette co-owner Gurpreet Singh had also not been affected by staff isolating and still had its regular customers.
He increased the store's opening hours to try to get more customers when he and his wife took over the business at the end of last year.
"We're opening until late - 6pm [or] 6.30pm sometimes."
Foodstuffs New Zealand corporate affairs manager Emma Wooster said increasing numbers of staff members isolating meant getting products to the stores and on to shelves was "the biggest issue for us right now".
"As more team members are required to isolate, customers may start to see some changes to how we operate in-store - this is to make sure we can keep our teams and customers safe and the stock flowing onto the shelf.
“During the Omicron peak, we may reduce the opening times of individual stores. Please check our websites or local store Facebook page for the latest up-to-date information.”
A disregard for authority could be why those attending court are thumbing their noses.