There was no way Warragul florist Sheree Kerr was going to let her flowers wilt for Valentine’s Day.

When news of the snap five-day lockdown came through on Friday afternoon, she knew Valentine’s Day would be shut down and she had to act immediately.

With thousands of dollars’ worth of red roses and assorted flowers filling her fridges, Sheree called in staff, got to work and remained open until midnight.

It paid off.  Every red rose stem was sold and almost every flower in the shop was gone.

“I was so overwhelmed.  At one stage I was in tears.  I couldn’t believe the people who came out to support small business.

“I am so grateful for a fantastic team of staff and the community was so supportive of us.  It’s a real privilege to be part of such a wonderful community…people really like to help each other,” she said.

Sheree bought the Warragul Flower Shop in November so Sunday was to be her first Valentine’s Day as owner.

When the lockdown was announced, she knew she had no choice but to trade until midnight.

From 7pm, she said it was madness, with queues out the door and customers still in the shop just before midnight.

A florist for 24 years, she said she had never worked under so much pressure as Friday afternoon.  Sheree called in a team of staff, including two student florists, and said it was crazy as they arranged flowers and served customers.

Sheree said while floral deliveries were available on Sunday, the rules surrounding retail on Friday afternoon were unclear so she had to seize the opportunity.  

She didn’t want to risk deliveries or click and collect being allowed.  “I can’t run a business based on maybe or what it…if I’d left it to Sunday, people may not have bought flowers while in lockdown.”

Restaurants were not so lucky.  Instead, chefs were left looking at specially prepared menus that could possibly be available for takeaway if the customers chose.

The Courthouse Restaurant in Warragul had 80 people booked in for dinner on Sunday night and about 50 for lunch.

Chef Ryan Short said he had spent days working on his menu and preparing a special chocolate and raspberry dessert featuring rose petals.

The rose petals wilted with his enthusiasm on Friday afternoon when the lockdown was announced.

Restaurant manager Bianca Browne said “it is what it is – I’d rather stay COVID free and sacrifice a few Valentine’s desserts than close completely again.”

“We didn’t expect this, we were thinking it would be just metropolitan.

“It is just disappointing that you put in a lot of time and effort and then two days out it’s cancelled,” she said.

On Friday afternoon, staff were overwhelmed with phone calls by people wanting to book in for dinner on Friday night before lockdown began.