After long weeks of closure, restaurant owners were hoping for a gradual return to normal this summer.
The return of the epidemic and the new measures gradually announced have come to shatter this hope.
The establishment of a curfew in several French metropolises, including Paris, as well as the government's call to limit travel and meetings has put a new blow to these professionals already severely tested.
Read also: Curfew in Île-de-France and 8 other cities: hours, certificate, fines
"
This decision is equivalent to closing our establishments
", reacted immediately several organizations representing the hotel and catering industry, including the thematic catering union (SNRTC), the Group of independent hotel and catering (GNI) and the Union. hospitality trades and industries (Umih).
The curfew will be "
heavy with consequences for the sector
", warn the institutions, deploring a "
disguised closure
".
"
We did not avoid the worst: by force, we are no longer far!
», Sighs the boss of Umih Paris-Île-de-France, Franck Delvau, interviewed by
Le Figaro
.
“
It's the death of restaurants in Paris at night.
In the capital, people arrive at 9 p.m., we don't eat with the chickens.
A very large majority of establishments will therefore close in the evening, around 6 pm
”, for lack of sufficient clientele before the curfew is instituted, explains the representative.
A violent shock, financial and moral, for restaurateurs
Raised, Franck Delvau believes that the closure of restaurants and bars "
will not prevent some from continuing to party, in apartments transformed into nightclubs, without any health protocol
".
So many private events conducive to the spread of the virus, without any control.
The representative goes so far as to compare this situation to a "
return of prohibition
".
"
I put myself in the shoes of the young: it's not easy to be 18 in 2020. But I don't think these measures will prevent them from partying,
" he adds.
Same shock on the side of the national president of restaurateurs at Umih, Hubert Jan.
“
We didn't expect that,
” he commented, appalled.
“
It's sacrificing restaurants,
” he protests.
According to him, the curfew condemns the evening service “
since at 8:15 pm, all your customers and employees must be outside
”.
"
And with a single service, that of noon, we do not hold, as much to close
", he laments.
He asks the government to put in place "
100% compensation, without deduction and without threshold effect
".
Help and details expected
For the profession, many gray areas remain: will hotel guests be able to dine in the establishment's restaurant after 9 p.m., or will they have to stay in their room?
What about delivery, will restaurants be able to work with platforms like Uber Eats or Deliveroo after the curfew?
How will the new All Anti-Covid app work with bars and restaurants?
Can a customer leave at 8:55 p.m. from a restaurant, or does he have to be at home?
“
All this is not clear,
” regrets Franck Delvau, before calling on all French people to come and dine in restaurants before the curfew is put in place.
The Umih and its ilk intend to ask for additional aid from the state to cross this new wave.
Organizations are waiting for Emmanuel Macron at the turn on this point: "
We will improve the economic response to these professionals
", with "
additional support devices
" in the metropolises concerned, the head of state said this evening.
The urgency is real, underline the representatives: “
we cannot wait a month for the aid to be voted.
We must have them from tomorrow, from Monday
”, we advance to the Ile-de-France branch of the Umih.
Among the avenues put forward is the strengthening of the solidarity fund, the exemption from employer charges or the coverage of operating losses by insurers or a reflection on the coverage of rents.
“
Partial unemployment will not be enough
,” warns the Umih.
This evening, the professionals concerned are therefore disappointed and in shock.
To close the evening was, for them, inconceivable.
"
I thought he would not dare to institute a curfew
," comments a professional.
Worried about their future, they do not hide their anger: despite all their efforts and the strict health protocols put in place in recent weeks, the future continues to darken.
"
Once again, our profession is toasting, and not in a good way,
" sums up Franck Delvau, his voice extinguished.
