The much-loved owner of the kiosk at Tavistock Bus Station has been forced to shut up shop for the final time due to the financial impact of the pandemic.

Wendy Norman has run the kiosk since 2014 and is renowned for her work in the local community. Like many others, she has struggled with the effects of the pandemic on trade ever since the first lockdown restrictions were implemented in March 2020.

With restrictions being continually imposed and lifted, Wendy was forced to temporarily close and reopen for nearly two years.

Due to the lack of trade inflicted by these restrictions, it was no longer financially viable for Wendy to continue trading; and when her annually rolling lease expired in January, she chose not to renew it. The kiosk has remained closed ever since.

This ties in with closure of the bus station toilets and reduced running of services in  the last two years, which have contributed to a significant decrease in people coming through the station.

Wendy is now offering taxi services for work.

She said: ‘I really will miss seeing and speaking with all the locals who always use the bus station — there were so many colourful characters. People were my favourite thing about the job, that’s why I enjoy doing my taxi work now because I’m always out with them, right amongst the community. I won’t lose contact with anyone this way.

‘I think having an open kiosk and toilets are an expectation of the community which we now sadly no longer have. I started off working at the kiosk nearly eight years ago and then took over from the previous owners.

‘It was really hard work to build it up, it took a lot of time and I put in so much effort but I did it all myself.

‘I don’t think it will ever be the same again; the buildings here have become run down too and the council haven’t done anything to repair them.’

Laura Hall, a close friend and local resident who frequently uses bus services that run from the station said: ‘Everyone in the community knows Wendy, she’s lovely and friendly.

‘The toilets shut down when covid hit which forced Wendy to keep closing and people to disappear and it’s been like that ever since.

‘People always came to the kiosk for snacks, drinks, hot food, newspapers or for more information about the bus services. Now they have to go to a shop some distance away instead for refreshments.

‘The library try and help with service information if people go there, but that’s not very practical considering it’s on the other side of the main road and people may be rushing to get a bus at a specific time. Locals used to use the bus station all the time but it seems as though there’s just no one here anymore.’

West Devon Borough Council own the kiosk building which is currently locked up. The borough council’s estates specialist Andrew Wood said: ‘We have not yet made plans for the kiosk as we need to get it cleared and we will then review it from there. We have had expressions of interest and we may retender this space when we have evaluated these premises.’

Devon county councillor for Tavistock Debo Sellis said: ‘I know how busy Wendy has always been in the past and what a godsend she’s always been to people.

‘As a valuable asset to the community, it’s sad that Wendy is unfortunately one of so many casualties of the pandemic; we wish her all the best with her future ventures.’