A busy first weekend back
With people wining and dining and spending their cash again after weeks of lockdown restrictions, the first weekend of level 2’s increased freedoms was a busy one for Taranaki restaurants and retailers.
For Blair Clement, head chef and co-owner of New Plymouth restaurant Social Kitchen, it was great to be back in business.
‘‘It’s been really good. I was really missing working here and really missing cooking, and the same with the team. They were all really keen to get back into it and get stuck in.’’
Restaurants around the country reported being at or close to capacity on Friday night given the alert level 2 limit of no more than 100 people.
Clement said social distancing hadn’t been an issue for them, with clear guidelines in place for staff and customers had been very cooperative and patient.
‘‘Friday was really busy. We can’t be fully booked because of the old social distancing, but, in saying that, for a Friday night it was pretty decent all things considered.’’
On Saturday night they had 80 people booked in which Clement said is about 40 short of normal.
He expects the bookings to continue with about 30 customers booked per night this week and around 70 booked already for Friday and Saturday.
At Area 41, on Brougham St in New Plymouth, they had a busy Friday night being supported by locals.
‘‘We did have bookings and it was quite busy, but we weren’t able to take more bookings because of the social distancing and spaces in between the tables,’’ co-owner Pushkar Junnare said.
Junnare said they were busy on Saturday as well but wasn’t sure how things would pan out for the week ahead.
‘‘It’s going to be a bit challenging. Being in the CBD, there might be a slowdown because of a lot of workplaces still work from home, so I don’t think we’ll be getting corporate customers.’’
At Arranged Marriage on
Devon Street East, Friday and Saturday were busy with bookings, deliveries, and takeaways.
‘‘We were almost full but in level 2 full means something different because of social distancing,’’ co-owner Manuel Jacob said.
‘‘But it’s really good.’’ Jacob said it was busier than expected but it was hard to predict what the coming weeks would bring.
The restaurant was also offering a 20 per cent discount for essential workers to say thank you for all their hard work over the last eight weeks.
Down at New Plymouth’s port area, Bach On Breakwater Restaurant and Cafe hadn’t opened for dinner but had been serving people for lunch and brunch.
‘‘We opened on Thursday and it wasn’t that busy. Sales were half of what they were last year,’’ owner Rahul Radhakrishnan said.
‘‘Friday was good, the weather was good so we got quite a few people coming in.’’
Previously, Bach on Breakwater didn’t take bookings of fewer than six people, but with social distancing and contact tracing now in place they’re taking bookings for groups of two and three as well.
Radhakrishnan said the staff were motivated, but they just wanted everything to get back to normal as soon as possible and start getting busier.
‘‘We’ll feel more confident then.’’
In Stratford, Colonel Malone’s Restaurant and Bar also had a good weekend, with ‘‘steady’’ business, day manager Julie Johnston said.
‘‘Friday and Saturday were really good.’’
The business employs 17 people in total, and Johnston said staff had been kept busy with people glad to get out and let someone else do the cooking.
‘‘It’s been a little bit like normal, really.’’
In Ha¯wera, Dagjeet Singh, manager of Morrieson’s Cafe Bar, on Victoria St, said it had been quiet since reopening.
‘‘People don’t want to go out,’’ he said, but thought that would change as the restrictions continued to ease.
At Rough Habits Sports Bar and Cafe, on Ha¯ wera’s Regent St, owner Adrienne Cudby said business had been steady, but they’d lost trade through not having the bar open.
‘‘We’re not as busy as we would normally be,’’ said Cudby, who has owned the business for 24 years. ‘‘But it’s not been too bad.
‘‘I’m just so pleased to be back here.’’
And it wasn’t just restaurants that have been reopening.
Sharolyn Croton, owner of gardening store Tropical Treasures on Carrington Road in Hurworth, said Saturday was possibly their busiest day ever.
‘‘I think people have been doing projects at their home over lockdown and so wanted some plants to finish off what they’re working on.
‘‘It was nice to have the support. Being a business you’re a bit unsure how people will be feeling about spending money again.’’
Croton said people seemed excited to be out and about, and they’d gained some new customers since before lockdown.
Since reopening, they’d also noticed an influx in people buying supplies for landscaping projects.
‘‘If we can’t do any travel it’s even more important to create a nice little feeling at your own house.’’
As soon as they reopened their doors on Thursday, Kingsway menswear on Devon Street West has had a steady flow of customers, regulars and new faces, and it had been busier than usual, owner Matt Clarke said.
‘‘If anything, people have been purchasing multiple items or complete outfits top to toe, and we’ve definitely felt an underlying message of shopping local. That has been really evident.’’