400 TABLES CANCELLED
DEVASTATED RESTAURANT OWNER ‘THROWN UNDER A BUS’ BY TIER 3 RESTRICTIONS
IMPACT ON FOOD INDUSTRY REVEALED
A BEVERLEY restaurateur who this week registered his 400th table cancellation for November and December says restaurants are being “thrown under a bus” with the latest Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions.
John Robinson, chef patron at Whites in North Bar Without, said: “First and foremost we have to be respectful because an awful lot of people have lost loved ones to this awful virus, so our thoughts must be with them.
“While it is devastating to have to close once again, if it’s for the greater good and to help save lives, then that’s fair enough, but it’s a hard pill to swallow when everyone else is reopening.
“Hairdressers, retail and places like garden centres that have queues round the car park, with little to no social distancing or Covid measures in place, can remain open when restaurants are being thrown under a bus and are bearing the brunt of the measures once again.”
Mr Robinson, who has been running the intimate 20-cover Whites for 12 years, spent the whole of the first lockdown making the premises Covid-secure.
Measures included temperature checks for diners and staff, larger tables enabling staff to keep a distance, sanitiser on arrival and at the tables, ables, menus in glass frames enabling g sanitising each night ht and drinks menus s either on a QR code de or disposable.
“If there is a safer er restaurant in the UK, K, then I’d be amazed,” d,” said Mr Robinson, n, who also completed ed a full refurbishment nt of the kitchen, dining ng room and toilets, as well as doing up the he rooftop terrace.
“With all these se measures, it’s very ery frustrating when the he supermarkets and multi multi-nationals nationals seem to have done nothing of real relevance.”
Mr Robinson said: “The furlough system and initial grants were good as they gave us the knowledge staff would be looked after and an injection of cash to help pay the bills.
With all these measures, it’s very frustrating when the supermarkets and multi-nationals seem to have done nothing of real relevance.
John Robinson
“Thi “This ti time round there th is i very r little but, with the fixed costs of running a restaurant, this nominal grant will not touch the sides and I am a small restaurant – I would hate to have a big restaurant or hotel right now.”
Whites reopened in August and was able to trade for three months before the second lockdown was announced.
The restaurant has not considered any alternative revenue streams.
“Our set-up doesn’t really lend itself to takeaways or reheatable menus at home, it’s just not what we are about,” he said.
But Mr Robinson is in the early stages of planning a hamper/ingredients box scheme and is currently gauging public support for it.
“It was more of an idea to buy produce from many of our struggling suppliers, to help support them,” said Mr Robinson.
“I can’t even imagine the restaurant not being able to survive.
“Thankfully, we are well established but, like everyone, we will only be able to go on so long. For now I have no real concerns and am planning reopening sometime in early 2021, if we are allowed and the evidence suggests we can do so safely.
“Obviously, the vaccine is a gamechanger but I’m expecting this to last a lot longer than expected and even then I think customer confidence will be low.
“With the huge scale of job losses on the high street and aviation industries, etc, paired with Brexit and the impending recession, I’m not exactly hopeful of turning a profit for a while yet.
“Without Whites, I’m unemployable – I went self-employed when I was 21, so will only ever work for myself now.
“As I say, I’m not really concerned about that – yet.
“I’d like to think that, in six months, we’ll hopefully be back open, with a full restaurant every night and with all the team back and firing on all cylinders and pushing even harder for that elusive Michelin star that we are determined to bring to Beverley.”