The horizon of January 20 is darkening for restaurateurs.
The reopening date should be postponed until Greek calendars.
"It will not be January 20," several government sources told our colleagues at RTL.
Officially, at Bercy, no one confirms the information.
In the cabinet of Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, we refer rather to the Defense Council on Wednesday.
But in the entourage of Alain Griset, the Secretary of State in charge of VSE-SMEs, voices believe, however, that, in view of "quantified elements from a health point of view, we are far from the crossing points that we had fixed ”.
A meeting was also planned urgently to bring together, this Tuesday at 3 p.m., representatives of bars and restaurants, Bruno Le Maire and Alain Griset.
It must be said that anger is mounting among restaurant owners.
Roland Héguy, the Confederal President of the Union of Hospitality Trades and Industries (Umih), evokes a “profession on edge” and “surviving businesses”.
"For the moment, the aid stops on January 1, I have no doubt that they will be extended," he slips.
At Bercy, we want to reassure: “If the reopening does not take place on January 20, we will ensure that the aid measures can be continued.
"
But we will have to go further to allay the concerns.
"Like solving the problem of rents and water or EDF bills which endanger restaurant owners," continues Roland Héguy.
We are also going to ask for establishments to be reopened by geographic sector.
Allowing high-altitude restaurants or those in departments where the virus circulates less to resume activity seems to me a good option.
Ditto for hotel restaurants which do not have the right to serve customers in the room.
"
Feared failures in the first quarter
Until then, restaurateurs will have to take their troubles patiently.
“For several days, we had warned our members that we had to forget January 20, says Marcel Benezet, president of cafes, bars, breweries of the National Group of Independent Hotel and Restaurant (GNI).
Today, whoever can give a reopening day has a crystal ball.
But what is certain is that if we do not reopen until March 1, many will drop off the keys.
"
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Yet officially, everything is fine.
According to the Banque de France, the receipts and judicial liquidations of hotels and restaurants fell by 26% between March 2019 and November 2020. “It's because we are on a drip, with the aid, analyzes Hubert Jan, the president of the catering branch of Umih.
It is at the time of the reopening that things will turn sour.
According to a Umih survey published in November, 30% of companies in the sector plan to file for bankruptcy, sometimes in the first quarter.
"For the moment, the commercial courts are twiddling their thumbs," describes Laurent Munerot, the president of the U2P, which defends the interests of traders and craftsmen.
But many failures await us ”.
The time for January's annual reviews could discourage more than one.
"When restaurateurs will see all the charges, so far postponed, that will have to be reimbursed in the coming months, it will decide more than one to lower the curtain," he continues.
Because it will take between two and three years for restaurateurs to get back on the water.