The rumor is buzzing in all the bistros and restaurants of Île-de-France: the interior rooms could (finally) reopen their doors on Monday June 15, while only the terraces had been authorized to deploy since June 2 in the region, classified "orange". Ile-de-France restaurateurs are now awaiting a firm signal from the executive, which could arrive as early as this Friday afternoon according to our information, to reopen next Monday. The stakes are high for a sector completely deprived of activity during confinement, and which has suffered from capricious weather since the reopening.
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Restaurateurs are preparing
“ We will probably have an announcement this Friday afternoon for a reopening on Monday, confirms to Le Figaro Alain Fontaine, the president of the French association of master restaurateurs (AFMR). The noise was already running for all restaurateurs in Île-de-France for a few days . And everyone was already preparing for it. ”
"We expect very clearly that the Ile-de-France and Paris can reopen (their rooms) on Monday ", supported Roland Héguy, the president of the Union of Trades and Hotel Industries (UMIH) , on FigaroLive this Friday morning.
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The reopening of restaurants is a major challenge for the entire sector. "Right now, the morale of the troops is sailing between anger, depression and emotion," explains Alain Fontaine. Some people are starting to say that it was better not to reopen us at all. What is complicated is that we have no horizon, in particular because of telework which deprives us of the employees, but also of the closing of the hotels and therefore of the absence of tourists. Finally, the weather, which is a very important variable, is not favorable for us. ”
Half-filled rooms
Alain Fontaine is all the more worried that even when reopened, the rooms " will only be half full because of the health protocol ". Finally, concerning the staff, “ we don't know what to do anymore! “, Continues the president of the AFMR. " One blow we get them out of partial unemployment, a blow we put them back. But our employees are not puppets ! ”
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Monday June 8, only a third of restaurants in Ile-de-France had reopened. Many catering groups, these " phenomenal war machines that need people " have still not returned to service according to Alain Fontaine. In the end, according to Roland Héguy, " 15 to 10% of restaurants in the country could close permanently " because of the epidemic. Certainly, "it is vital that restaurants can reopen normally" , as the president of the AFMR insists.