According to the owner of Hebby's Bakery, Colin Hebblewhite, there's been an increase in customer traffic through the shop despite the pandemic restrictions.

"It's been busier because a couple of the others (businesses) closed," Colin said.

Just before the government imposed COVID-19 restrictions, one of Gloucester's mainstay cafes closed down and its regular customers dispersed across the other businesses in town. Then the cafe next door to the bakery opted to close during the height of the lockdown.

With people still going to work, the need for a morning or afternoon feed was still there and the bakery proved an excellent option.

As the business was mainly operating as a takeaway, it continued in normal fashion, apart from the implementation of the COVID safety guidelines, like the removal of tables and with a limited number of people in the shop.

So the long line of people out front of the bakery became a regular occurrence on Church Street.

"People are getting used to queuing," Colin said.

Since the easing of restrictions, the bakery has been even busier. With the influx of tourists and the winter weather bringing snow onto the Barrington Tops, business is booming.

"It's been crazy. I've never seen it so busy," he said. "We've had to increase our production of pies."

After 45 years of working in the family business, Colin is pretty good at determining how many pies need to be freshly baked every morning.

"I've been doing it for a long time. I'm pretty good at it," he said.

But recent events have even surprised him.

Just to give an idea of how the trade has increased, the bakery normally makes seven dozen cheese and bacon pies. Now it's nearly up to 10 dozen. And that's only the second most popular pie, next to the plain meat option.

"Business has been very constant, even during the normal down times," Colin said.

"And I think it might keep going. People can't go overseas."