Well, I was ok.

Craft mags like mine have done brilliantly during lockdown, appealing as they do to people stuck for ‘something to do’. I’ve been so proud to see that.

Now, though, my magazine is closing. It’s one of many casualties of publishing in lockdown.

On the unpredictable newsstand of the future, it’s simply not sustainable. I’m really sad.

I don’t know what’s next, for me or for magazine publishing. I know I (and we) need to be more adaptable than ever. I just hope I (and we) still get the chance to give our readers ‘something to do’.

After the shock of adapting the team to working at home and dealing with the panic of loss of a huge proportion of our ad bookings, the most unexpected positive reaction was from our readers.

When I told them of our precipitous financial position they rallied like I could never have imagined. From subscriptions to merchandise and even donations, the entire team has been humbled by the value that our audience has placed on our silly magazine about bicycles.

We are going to get through this – and thanks to our readers we’ll be all the stronger on the other side.

The magazine industry is my dream. The bustling office; bouncing creative ideas; laydown arguments; to comma or not to comma?

This has fallen silent. Zoom, nor constant messaging, are its equal. Early in my career and the most junior, it’s easy to be missed, and day-to-day changes pass by without any control. 

Where do we go from here? There are no certainties. Voices start to quieten, living this nightmare.

But a silver lining gleams. Online shows the joy, passion and creativity for magazines; bringing us together to thrive. We shout and scream and are heard. Let’s live the dream again.

Three months in and we’re all wondering which old behaviours we’ve done for the last time and which of the things that we’re trying out now will become our new normal.

Was that the last time I’ll find myself prodding at a suspiciously unidentifiable starter alongside colleagues in a Park Lane basement? Will our new-found confidence in remote working remain or will we dash back to the desk-bound world? Will we pin up a flatplan or pore over a paper proof?

Ultimately I think we’ll choose the new over the old and grab the opportunity to build back better.

Lockdown has made us appreciate the here and now.

We’re grateful for the outpouring of support; our readers have told us that Anorak and DOT have been a welcome distraction from the intense homeschooling they’ve had to endure! Creativity and bad jokes make things a little more bearable. We have launched digital editions for our overseas fans and apps are in the making.

Working at home has meant caring way too much about chores and to get dolled up just to go to my lounge!

As far as the future is concerned: Who knows? We are busy being happy in the now!