Revamps revealed as businesses prepare to reopen
BARS AND RESTAURANTS HOPING TO GET BACK TO NORMAL
RESTAURANT and bar owners in Cleethorpes Market Place have been refurbishing their premises as they prepare to move on from the overwhelming stress the last year has caused.
Forced closures, staff on furlough and money worries have all made for the worst 12 months on record for Cleethorpes hospitality businesses.
Many are grateful they have survived the turbulent times, knowing that for some businesses, reopening on May 17 will still not be viable for many.
Mizanur Rahman, owner of Me2Raj, said he has been living in hope that when he can finally reopen in a matter of days, this time it will be for good.
He said: “It’s been a worrying year both financially and emotionally.
“We weren’t always sure when we’d be able to open our doors again, but when we do this time we’re hoping we can start to get back to normal again. We’ve been living in hope of that the whole year.
“The first lockdown wasn’t as bad as the others. The third hit us the most because that was the point at which we began to really struggle financially. “During the first one we had savings we could use, but come the third, it was completely different for us both financially and mentally.
“We’d lost 75 per cent of our business since last year and we still had bills, rent and wages to pay. Thankfully, the Government grants have kept us going. “We’re a family-run business so have no other form of income so the financial side was the worst part about all this for all of us. It got to a point where we had to let go of a number of staff because we couldn’t afford to pay them. Mizanur is now ready to reopen his business, with strict Covid measures in place.
There will be a reduced number of tables spread out with a “rule of six” in place as well as table service.
The restaurant has also been refurbished during lockdown. There is decking outside, cladding has been put on the walls and the kitchen area has been painted. Mizanur said: “I’m both excited and nervous to let customers in again. I don’t know what they’ll be expecting, but we’ll do what we can so they can enjoy the experience as much as they used to.” Halil Kaya, owner of former Mojo nightclub, said the pandemic has gave him the chance to completely redesign and start a fresh with a new business adventure.
The former nightclub is set to be turned into Marmaris wood oven and Turkish restaurant when work is completed in the next four to six weeks.
Halil said: “I’ve been a businessman around here for 25 years now. I spent some time in London, but ended up coming back to here. “I know the area and I know what the people like. I’ve wanted to do something like this for a while now and eventually I’d like to expand and take the brand elsewhere and make it a well-known name.
“It’s been my dream to open my own restaurant. I feel like I need to give back in this way to really make an impact for this generation, I just want to make people happy.
“At times, it’s been difficult over the past year, but the grants have been brilliant. The Government has been good to us, it’s a very complicated job they do and it’s not easy to do what they’ve done. “I’ve been working all through lockdown as well so it hasn’t been too bad for me. I’ve planned for the ups and the downs so I’ve been ready for anything more or less. “I like Grimsby, there are good people here and I hope everyone can come once I get this place open.”