Restaurateurs in shock, say survival at stake
Akshay Kaushal
The F&B industry is one of the worst-hit sectors bearing the brunt of the 21- day lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Restaurant owners in the Capital say they will have to rely on the government to be able to sustain.
Restaurateur AD Singh says that it’s a horrible nightmare that he is forced to close all his restaurants. He is unsure if his company would be able to emerge again after this crisis. “This shutdown is going to be crippling. All our restaurants are shut, so we have no income at all. My teams and I built them brick-by-brick and have lovingly nurtured them for so long. This is something I had never imagined or seen despite being in the industry for the last 30 years,” says Singh, who owns 28 restaurants including Olive Bar & Kitchen, Guppy and Ek Bar. However, economic measures announced by the government give him some hope, he adds.
Saurabh Mehta, owner, Mallacca restaurant, says he is devastated due to the shutdown. “We are forced to pay full salaries to all our employees, not to mention the utility payments, i.e. rent, electricity, gas bills, tax payments (GST/VAT) and excise renewal fees. It is sad that we haven’t got any help or benefit so far from the government. They need to take quick actions. The survival of restaurant owners as well as thousands of employees dependent on the outlets is at stake,” he says.
Restaurateur Zoravar Kalra says, “The impact of the pandemic will have a snowball effect in the months to come. The F&B industry is worst hit. Restaurants are not operational, the staff in our industry doesn’t have the option to work from home. We need a strong recovery plan. We will have to reassure guests that it is safe to come out and eat. It will take several months for the industry to stabilise. We look forward to welcoming our patrons back once this is over. We must stay safe till then,” he says. Some restaurateurs may have to redesign their business model. “After the lockdown, we will have to start afresh. Depending on the number of visitors, we will rework our business model. We might have to take some harsh steps including layoffs if the government doesn’t support us through the hard times,”says Suveet Kalra, owner, Ardor 2.1 and Ardor 29. He adds that some restaurants might have to permanently close down due to lack of demand and their inability to sustain. “The government’s decision to implement total lockdown is right as we need to save lives but economically it is going to hit badly,” he adds.
“We are in a state of shock. We appreciate the government's effort, but we need support like never before. We need tax holidays. Else many will lose jobs and businesses built over the years will never open again,” says Ishita Yashvi, co-owner, Namak Mandi.