Some of Cardiff's newest independent shops have expressed their concerns about the effect Omicron may have on their shops.
This follows after more than 1,000 cases of the highly-infectious Omicron variant have been identified in Wales.
Despite restrictions not taking effect until December 27, footfall around Cardiff looked noticeably bare compared to other years as many fear catching the dreaded variant before Christmas.
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One person who noticed a huge decrease in footfall is Aoife Doherty, a 22-year-old from Cardiff, who opened up her own sustainable stationery shop, Floris in October.
After graduating university last year, Aoife decided to open up the well acclaimed shop in St Davids 2, as she "didn't really have much of an option when it came to getting other jobs" because of Covid-19.
Now, Aoife faces a different challenge with Floris as she fears that the city centre is not as busy as expected since the announcement of future restrictions.
She said: "It's hard for me to guess as it's the first Christmas that I have had a shop in town but it definitely isn't as busy as I expected and I know a lot of other shops around me feel the same.
"It's so strange. My boyfriend's dad was in town earlier and asked what on earth was going on because it was so quiet.
"In parts of the city centre, it always looks busy, but it's just a walk through. In general, it's been really quiet.
"I wouldn't expect this considering it's two days before Christmas."
Aoife also has to start getting her shop ready ahead of the restrictions.
She said: "I will have to start limiting the number of people that come in to the shop. That will be difficult because I have quite a small shop.
"I'll have to put a sign on the window and say only like two people can come in. I'm not 100% sure how I'm going to do everything yet - I know some shops have a one way system, but mine is quite small."
Aoife says when she started creating sustainable stationery in the peak of the lockdown it didn't really affect her as market stalls were "available to rent pretty much all the way through Covid-19".
However, she says owning a shop is a completely different ball game.
Aoife said: "Now there's a chance we may have to close in the future - which will be a massive problem.
"I am nervous that we are back in this situation again. It felt like we were all in the clear as long as we wore masks and tried to be sensible but we're sort of back to where we were.
"I've been following the news about Omicron and have realised as more stories come out about how serious it is and potentially more restrictions, town definitely got more quieter.
"I think people are worried to come in because there is that tension of going in to town and getting COVID and having to self isolate and not seeing family.
"I think a lot of people feel like they should limit the amount of time they are outside and maybe do some online shopping instead.
"I'm a little worried to see what the town centre is like after Christmas when people don't really have a reason to shop anyway.
"I just hope I can keep the shop open because I get a lot more sales here than my website - but whatever happens, us business owners have to keep pushing through and take each day at a time."
It's not just the businesses in the city centre which are having less customers and more uncertainty.
In November, the well-known The Corporation pub in Canton transformed in to a bar, coffee shop and a market full of independent and unique traders.
When Castle Emporium was forced to close last month, many traders flocked to The Corporation, such as Rosie Smith and her radical bookshop, Shelf Life.
Rosie said: "Since the rise in Omicron cases, this last week has definitely been quieter.
"People are hanging around less. We're still quite busy - people are still coming in and buying what they want to get but there is definitely less browsing.
"It has been quiet and less intense than I expected the last week of Christmas to be.
"It's fine by me because I'm also concerned about the virus and I don't want to encourage people to come and hang around if they don't want to."
Rosie said she is feeling positive about the restrictions coming in to force.
She said: "We're still figuring out the one way systems and signage and stuff right now. It's just like de ja vu of what we have had before really.
"I'm sure it will be fine. I'm way more concerned about the traders safety and the customers safety. It is people before profit for me."
Georgia Heffernan, The Corp manager, said: "People are a bit more wary - you can 100% see that.
"Bookings have dropped significantly. All of our Christmas parties and office parties have been cancelled which is massively detrimental to us.
"We kind of want people to hang around and spend the day here for a couple of hours. Not just often bee-lining for what they need and then going.
"We're all independent and want people to stick around for as long as possible - I want customers to feel comfortable and safe here."
Georgia admits she is worried about future restrictions - especially as the bar in the market will mean she will have to follow rules on hospitality as well as retail.
"We have to stay open. We've been shut for so long and we're so new so need to stable our place in this industry and Cardiff. The restrictions in place are going to make that impossible.
"We're going to need twice the staff to make sure people are wearing masks, have COVID passports and using Track and Trace.
"This means we won't be a chilled environment - which is what we are trying so hard to do.
"We're going to have to be quite strict in order to make sure everyone is safe and I don't want that to be the lasting impression on people, especially if it's the first time they are coming here. I don't want them to think that's the way we work.
"We've become quite resilient to the changes because we've had the Corporation Yard throughout the whole of COVID. We will put everything in place and do our best.
"It's just very disheartening having to make the constant changes and spending money for the things required.
"We've spent so long planning, building this place and reputation. Just as we've gone four steps forward, it feels like we're taking ten steps back.
"It's very confusing. No one knows where they stand or if they are doing things correctly. We can't see how the next few months are going to go or plan anything. We've just been put on hold - we may as well still be building the place.
"Some of these traders are brand new and others have had a massive roller coaster with Castle Emporium shutting down and having to move here.
"They've had a month of income and now may have to shut again with no income or idea of any support. Their hands are tied because we are inevitably a hospitality venue so if bars have to close, the shops can't open too."
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