ANGER, confusion and concern abounds in Powys when it comes to coronavirus – but one Mid Wales business has embraced the change when it comes to new hospitality restrictions.

A cafe proprietor in Llanwrtyd Wells has turned red tape surrounding Covid-19 protection into beautiful wooden artwork depicting red kites and other local wildlife.

David George, who runs Caffi Sosban in the town with his wife Kate, was keen to re-open his business after the recent ‘firebreak’ lockdown by installing social distancing screens indoors, and so he sought the help of his landlord Chris Brookes to help him add a splash of colour to the darkness and depression of social distancing.

“As an artist, I felt that there was an opportunity to make it a little more interesting than just plain screens,” said Chris, who carves organic wooden furniture for a hobby.

It’s a skill he’s honed over the last 40 years after beginning when he ran a restaurant in Suffolk, where his ornate wooden partitions created attractive booth seating for his customers.

Trees are a favourite motif for Chris, so the first thing he added were some miniature tree trunks, using them to act as physical supports for the 2mm-thick clear Perspex screens all businesses in the hospitality sector are now required to introduce to protect workers and members of the public from the spread of the virus.

“After that, I added a woodpecker and then various other creatures because trees need some wildlife,” added Chris.

“But the high ceilings in the cafe also made it possible to extend above the level of the screens themselves, so I allowed my trees to grow upwards to merge with clouds and, of course, a soaring red kite.

“When further screens were required in the second area I developed the idea to encompass a river theme detailing nature found above and below the water.

“It’s been a four-month project so far and artistically it has been a labour of love, since I much prefer creating one-offs.”

So as not to interfere with David and Kate’s business, Chris initially designed the panels to be removable, so they could be taken out in order to accommodate furniture and allow the cafe to return to operating at full capacity once the pandemic has passed.

But David has other ideas. “The new table layout has decreased our seating capacity, although our customers do feel a lot safer with the screens in place,” he said.

“However, Chris’ carvings have proved very popular, both with locals and visitors. Some people keep coming back in to see whether any more birds and animals have been added, while parents often ask their kids to see how many creatures they can find.

“So I plan to keep them all in place as a permanent feature, and I shall enjoy watching them grow.

“We’ve even had interest from an internationally-famous storyteller, who, once restrictions allow, wants to give a performance in the cafe of tales inspired by the new woodcarvings.

“And this does seem to be in the best traditions of Llanwrtyd Wells as a centre for alternative ideas and creativity.”