During the time of Covid health of myself and my clients could only be assured by implementing several measures. Some  are fairly easy such as cleanliness and sanitising. As the tours I am running are in the open air with room for social distancing, I opted not to use a mask unless clients requested. Not only would it ruin the traditional costume effect but would impede lip reading and communication of my expressions.
However, the most important measure maintaining social distancing- brings extra challenges. I teach tour guides and I am always stressing the fact that in the days of apps and recordings we have to use the advantage of being real people - show our personality, read our audience's mood, use eye contact and body language. This gets more difficult the further away our clients are - as does another important role of a guide keeping clients both safe, away from traffic etc. and comfortable out of sun, rain wind whilst also doing our best to not disturb businesses and other members of the public.

My first decision was to decide between apps on phones or self-sufficient machines.  There are quite a few apps that work between the guide's phone and the clients. Some use blue tooth, some data and some wi-fi - locally if available or via the guide carrying a portable router.  There are disadvantages and advantages in all of them. Overseas clients would find data expensive and in parts of Wales you cannot even get 3G. The apps are evolving quickly with add-on such as "find me" if clients get lost or the ability to download images such as "what this ruin looked like"  However the main disadvantage I could see was the time and complications for clients who would have to download an app. My tours are short generally less than two hours and I didn't want a large portion of that time to be wasted setting up the technology.  Also,   my primary reason for using them being constant social distancing and the variety of ages and operating systems on clients' phones meant that I wouldn't be able to just say "give me your phone and I'll sort it" So I decided to purchase "play and go" hardware.  
The main disadvantage of this - for me - was cost and thereafter maintaintance. I then had a techie friend look at specifications and bit the bullet, swallowing the cost of several hundred pounds and ordering a set from China.They took two months to arrive.Testing will be awkward as again, i am only allowed to meet one other household. How will it go? I'll let you know!

Once the idea of Conwy Tours had formed I decided to make tailoring an authentic costume my lockdown craft project. I excitedly began researching the internet and was relieved to see from historic postcards etc. that there was quite a range of acceptable Welsh lady costumes though there were several essential items. The tall black hat obviously (which I would not even attempt to make!) and a bedgown. Very confusing since a bedgown was worn anywhere but in bed! It is a cross between a jacket and a dress. I would also need a fitchu (muslin neck scarf) and a mob cap
On turning to my old friend the internet I found a fantastic pattern for a late 18th century redicote which is a type of bedgown at www.blacksnailpatterns.com.
I was very impressed with the instructions 

I was in lockdown so one problem was fitting a dress to myself so I decided to invest in a dressmaker's dummy which I named Annie. She was incredibly useful.  I also bit the bullet expenditure wise by ordered some expensive lightweight mohair suiting.  I thought if it was worth doing it was worth doing properly and also I wanted the costume to be comfortable to wear in the Summer. Part of the cost was recouped by getting the checked cotton for the petticoat an the muslin for the fitchu (the scarf that preserves one's modesty and warmth) and cap very cheap.

The pattern contained some strange items which were essential to the authentic look of the costume. The first was a padded split bum - yes exactly what it said to get that late Georgian bustle effect. The second was a set of pockets - like Lucy Lockett lost. These tie under the petticoat and are accessed by splits in it.

I also had to experiment with making a mob cap to go under the tall hat. I tried with a couple of different diameter circles sewing them together and then two rows of stitching to insert elastic - don't know what they used in the 18th century - probably smocking but I had already cheated by using an electric machine. You can only take authenticity so far!

The lined redicote was quite complicated to sew and I think every piece got sewn on upside down or back to front and had to be unpicked and resewn at one time or another.  I was so glad I made a toile or rough from old tablecloths first.  I then discovered the pattern was designed to be worn over stays and was cut with at least an inch off the waist. That was not going to make for comfortable workwear so I made Annie my size and recut the bodice. I had to insert boning - again not authentic - no whales were hurt during the making of this garment! I also had to do a lot of maths to ensure the back gathers were accurate and regularly spaced around the tailed back.

The petticoat was relatively straightforward apart from the maths to get the pleating so that it fitted the waistband - In fact it is a little big so I added some hooks to adjust. The hemline threw me at first then I realised of course it had to go over that big bustle and still be straight at the bottom. Phew - my work uniform was ready - all except the tall hat which I bought from a wedding outfitters. A pair of black boots - or slippers for hot weather completes the show.

 I have been a tour guide for 20 years and for the last few years had been happily touring England and Wales enjoying showing  American groups the delights of the British countryside and heritage.
I enjoy travelling and through the winter have been exploring the world. I was on an extended trip through Africa when I heard of the increasing problems Covid was causing in the travel industry .
Shortly after getting home, like everyone else, I found myself in lockdown with my inbox constantly pinging with job cancellations including several into the next year - 2021.  Once I'd sorted those long-intended home jobs and got some chickens for company, I began to wonder what I could do to with the hours - increasingly looking like months - stuck at home when I was used to roaming the country with enthusiastic holiday makers solving their problems as a tour manager and entertaining them with an interpretive commentary.
I have always believed in dividing my time to ensure I get a good mix of physical activity, brain exercise, socialising, creativity and having a goal to work towards.  I was listening to a business blog and heard a comment about wise companies spending in a recession and saving in a boom.