Businesses across west Dorset have had to adapt, change and re-invent themselves throughout the coronavirus pandemic, introducing solutions to meet the needs of the community to enable them to continue trading.

Kathy Dare, chairman of Bridport Local Food Group - organisers of Bridport Food Festival - has been busy creating and updating a list of local businesses that are open and has highlighted a few that have done wonderful things to change their usual way of operating.

Straight off the Boat is a new initiative by West Bay fishermen to enable their catch of the day to be bought and delivered from the quayside and delivered to your door. A Straight off the Boat app has also been launched to make ordering easier.

Washingpool Farm Shop transformed to enable residents to continue to shop at the farm shop and also enabled pre-order, delivery and collection. The team set up a customer service desk in the café for taking and preparing orders, as well as remodelling the shop and car park to enable speedy and safe collections.

Dark Bear have been offering canned cocktails, spirits, drams, beers and more delivered to the door. The team has asked customers for drinks they would like to see on the menu, with a new menu published every week. Deliveries are made in Bridport, Beaminster and Dorchester.

Nick Tett Butchers, although not open, Nick has been offering home deliveries and ready meals made in the butchers’ kitchen in Bradpole. Menu choices are available on Facebook and ready meals are also available from Bradpole Village Post Office.

Marianna Browning of Cherries Ice Cream Parlour in West Bay has been delivering essentials - such as vegetable and fruit boxes, meat, dairy, bread, as well as homemade chilled or frozen ready meals.

Ilaria Padovani of Mercato Italiano, who is still trading on Bridport Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, has set up The Bridport Basket and launched a new website since lockdown to enable people to order goods from local suppliers.

Will and Holly Good at the Ilchester Arms in Symondsbury have been offering takeaways and home deliveries since lockdown began. A menu is published weekly on Facebook and they have started offering a ploughmans.

Claire and Jamie Pimbley at The Half Moon in Melplash started offering take out and home delivery of Sunday roast dinners at the beginning of lock down and now offer a range of meals. They have added an easy take out module on their website where a menu can also be found.

Red Brick Café at St Michael’s Trading Estate has been offering take away with supplies bought from local small suppliers where possible.

Copse gate Farm in Whitchurch Canonicorum usually sell its meat and farm produce at the market and to the hospitality trade. Overnight its market disappeared, and the farm is now selling direct to the consumer.

Dom at Bearkat Bistro in Barrack Street has bene offering meals for £5 since lockdown and has also set up regular deliveries of ground coffee and coffee beans which are delivered weekly.

Shaves Cross Inn has some exciting plans in the pipeline. They are hoping to do hold drive in movie nights with kids’ movies on Thursday evening, classic cinema on Friday evenings and modern cinema on Saturday evenings, all of which can be enjoyed from the safety of your car. There will be pizzas made in the pub’s pizza oven on Thursdays which can be taken away or eaten on the beer garden, the same with burgers on Saturdays and roast dinners on Sundays.

Many businesses are offering free delivery, delivery on certain days or only accept cash and a minimum order.

For full details of businesses open and offering deliveries and contact details, visit bridportfoodfestival.co.uk/2020/latest-news