Working hard to reopen

TWO Toowoomba restaurants have said they’re glad to be reopened despite facing some challenging restrictions.

Encores closed its doors for sit down meals in March, and reopened three weeks ago, initially just for dinner, and now with a lunch service as well.

The restaurant continued takeaway during lockdown.

Meredith Rawlings runs Encores with her husband Mark, and said it was “lovely” to be open.

“It’s been a really tough couple of months but it’s nice to have that feeling of normality coming back,” Mrs Rawlings said.

“The customers really appreciate that we’re back and open and you really feel valued.

“We’ve been open 23 years and we have really loyal customers.”

Mrs Rawlings said the restrictions meant reopening was “no walk in the park” for restaurant owners.

She wanted to remind people if they can’t attend their bookings, to make sure they ring and cancel.

“When you can only have 20 guests it’s important to let us know if you can’t come because it’s a big percentage of our business,” she said.

Fitzy’s marketing manager Anita Armanasco said they had been able to hire some fulltime and casual staff back since reopening, and the phone had been ringing off the hook.

“Business is not as usual yet, but this is a great sign that things are only going to get better for our family and our industry,” Ms Armanasco said.

“Our lovely customers are dying to see us and we’re the same, we miss each other.”

Ms Armanasco said there was a lot of extra work that needed to be done.

When The Chronicle spoke to Ms Armanasco she had just picked up a new load of gloves and sanitiser.

“The hurdles venues have to jump are incredible, and in some ways controversial,” she said.

“We can’t wait to see some more restrictions lifted because they are quite labour intensive and frustrating.”