FLORISTS will be faced with road closures on Valentine’s Day as the Queen’s Baton Relay makes its way through Bendigo.
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Morning deliveries on the day could be delayed as florists negotiate alternative routes.
The majority of affected roads will be shut until 11am, though parts of Napier Street and a block within the CBD will be closed until the relay finishes.
Though the timing is inconvenient for those in the flower industry, Bendigo-based businesses say they have have made arrangements to limit disruptions on one of their busiest days of the year.
Florists have also encouraged customers, especially those seeking morning deliveries on Valentine’s Day, to think ahead to allow businesses time to make the necessary arrangements.
Couriers will not have access to The Flower Mint, on Lyttleton Terrace, the morning of Valentine’s Day.
Owner Kylie Hughes Bain has arranged an alternative collection address for the couriers to attend.
“All pre-orders will be transferred to this address very early on Valentine's Day, so if your someone special lives or works outside of the CBD we can guarantee delivery in the morning, she said.
“Otherwise, deliveries to workplaces and homes affected by the Queen's Baton Relay will start just as soon as we have access."
Fellow Lyttleton Terrace trader Karen Mansell, of The Flower Spot, had also made arrangements to limit the impact of the road closures the morning of Valentine’s Day.
“It’s just a matter of organising things,” she said.
Morning deliveries to recipients in the CBD would pose the greatest challenge for Mitchell Street Florist, owner Sally Byrne said.
Her shop will be just outside the area affected by road closures.
“We’ll try and do as much on foot as we can,” Ms Byrne said of flowers destined for recipients in the CBD.
But there might be some deliveries that would have to wait until the roads re-opened.
All three florists expected it would be ‘business as usual’ once the relay was complete.