No tourism? Shaheed doesn’t despair
Mohammed Shaheed watched his flourishing seafood business suddenly grind to a halt as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the tourism industry.
His business, Paradise Seafood raked in close to $250,000 annually with supplies to hotels and resorts being his biggest money earner.
Business plans
Mr Shaheed decided he was not going to despair over this and immediately set about plans to build a restaurant and outdoor eatery overlooking the sea.
Set above the hill at Saweni, along the Queen’s Highway in Lautoka, Paradise Restaurant and the outside eatery will surely entice a lot of people because of its vantage point.
“I have spent around $40,000 so far and the restaurant is about two months away from opening, while the outdoor eatery aims to open in two weeks’ time,” Mr Shaheed said. “I had other plans to build a big apartment block and a large seafood shop but the pandemic has spoilt all those plans. “That’s when I decided to move into this business of restaurant and outside eatery as the place hasa very good view of the ocean.”
Mr Shaheed said all food sold would be halal and the outside eatery will be mainly fish, chicken and chips.
“The restaurant will have all different food for sale.
“My seafood business was doing really well but I have decided not to think about it and move on,”he said.
I have spent around $40,000 so far and the restaurant is about two months away from opening, while the outdoor eatery will open in two weeks’ time.