There is much relief and excitement over the reopening of laundries and tailoring shops among workers as well as customers. Closure of laundries and tailoring shops, along with hair dressing salons, almost three months ago, had caused many people much inconvenience, not to forget the burden on the workers and owners of such outlets.  

“It is not always easy to do the laundry at home especially when you have a big family like mine. It was so hectic for me, and now I am so excited about it. It was my prayer for the past months and now I am greatly relieved,” Amir al Shaibani, retired private sector employee and father of six children, said. 

Reopening of tailoring shops has also got some excited, especially women. “When I heard the news, I became so happy because I am a frequent visitor to the tailors. I love having clothes made for me for almost every occasion. I had also left my set of clothes with a tailor before they were ordered to close, and now it is high time I got them back,” Maryam Khalaf, a newly wed said. 

The excitement is not only with consumers only but service providers too. Both laundry workers and tailors said they had a rough time to make ends meet as their shops were closed for nearly three months. Laundry workers, too, are on the move now and happy as they are back at work.  

“Honestly, I am so excited, although I know too much workload is expected, compared to the times we have been jobless, but we are ready to face it and serve our customers. We have a challenge to clear the unfinished work that came to us before closure and we also have new work, but hopefully, we shall get through,” M Kaleem, a laundry worker in Amerat, said. 

K Naseer, a tailor based in Wadi Adai, said that he too had much pending work since tailoring shops were ordered to close suddenly. “Life hasn’t been easy for me because it was my only income and now I am looking forward to putting in all my effort so that I can satisfy my customers needs,” he said.