The UK economy suffered its biggest slump on record between April and June as coronavirus lockdown measures pushed the country officially into recession.
The economy shrank 20.4% compared with the first three months of the year.
Household spending plunged as shops were ordered to close, while factory and construction output also fell.
This pushed the UK into its first technical recession – defined as two consecutive quarters of economic decline – since 2009.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak told the BBC that the government was “grappling with something that is unprecedented” and that it was “a very difficult and uncertain time”.
But shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds blamed Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the scale of the economic decline, saying: “A downturn was inevitable after lockdown – but Johnson’s jobs crisis wasn’t.”
“I think we have six stores in the portfolio that actually are trading up on last year.”
Ms Tenison founded her business in 1993, during a recession. “This is my third recession in my relatively long life in retail,” she said.
“We still have to be entrepreneurial,” she added. “We have had to close down some areas of business because of COVID. We’ve had to close our American business, which is just a massive sadness to me.
“Of course, everyone has to look at their overheads, but be creative. Look at those opportunities out there. Recessions bring opportunities.”
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