Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Owner tells of frantic fight to save business & keep his staff safe
THE date is set now with November 27 poised to ring to the sound of corks popping and glasses chinking.
After a long and painful process, the country can scramble back to a normality that has been missing for the best part of six months.
With less than a month to Christmas, the wet pubs, hotels, restaurants, all premises that sell alcohol and were forced to close, will be doing all they can to survive.
Eamon Mccusker, who sent a heartfelt plea on action to Stormont this week, said: “The decision gives us exactly 27 days to earn as much money and protect as many jobs and businesses as possible before Christmas Day.
“If we can make it to Christmas, maybe we can all make it. We are exhausted and we’re emotional but we’re here. We have clung on for dear life and we’re not going to let go now.
“We have to try to claw back the losses we’ve suffered in lockdowns one and two.”
The Mirror understands the hospitality industry will have additional help as it prepares to welcome the public back.
It will include rules, guidance and assistance as well as track and trace systems and may allow for improved ventilation in some premises. Stormont is also planning to:
Roll out vaccinations from as early as possible, potentially in December, for priority groups
Continue preparations for the introduction of rapid testing
Additional financial support for affected businesses, and
Create a compliance working group to improve adherence to regulations.
Eamon, 48, who owns AM/PM, the Cabaret Supper Club and the Chubby Cherub in Belfast, said he wants to
READY TO ROLL Restaurant in Belfast ensure all of his employees are tested on a regular basis.
He added: “We have exactly two weeks from tomorrow to get this right. If anyone needs to self-isolate, I want them to be able to do it as early as possible so we’ve a fighting chance.
“Hospitality Ulster has a safe seal proposal to ensure businesses act responsibly and we agree with it. We need all businesses to comply.
“After everything we’ve been through, after haemorrhaging money to try to help the country, after days and nights of worry and anxiety, I think we deserve a bit of help from Government to ensure we can get our people tested.
“Not only does that mean we can let our customers know we are prioritising their safety and the welfare of our staff, I believe because we can produce such a controlled environment, I hope it will be enough to ensure we can prove that hospitality was never the villain in this situation.”
Eamon took over the firm his parents ran during our violent past.
He said: “If mum and dad could make it through The Troubles, we can make it through this.
“We have lost £1.5million in revenue in the last six months.
“We’ve had to borrow all the money we’d paid off in the last 10 years.
“But the business has changed. Its not a matter of getting that money back, it’s a matter of staying afloat and keeping our 126 staff employed.”
Eamon added the first person he would call to share the news on reopening would be his father.
He said: “But before that I’m going to open a 1970 bottle of port.
“I haven’t had a drink since the start of lockdown and I promised I’d keep this bottle for a special celebration.
“Well this is it, I feel like we’ve won the lottery. We have a chance now.”