Full opening of the terraces and reception of customers in the dining room at 50% of capacity: June 9 was an important step for the hotel and catering sector.
And yet, that was not enough to convince a third of professionals to reopen their doors, according to the Umih.
Read also: For night bars, the lifting of the curfew sounds the death knell for the long months of closure
The Union of Trades and Hospitality Industries indicates that 30% of bar and restaurant owners preferred to remain closed. "
Some remain closed because of the lack of customers and others for lack of personnel, especially for small structures
", explains the confederal vice-president of this union. The crying shortage of chefs is forcing some family establishments to remain closed.
In mid-May, the Umih, the GNC (National Group of Hotel Chains), the GNI (National Group of Independent Hotel and Catering Industry) and the SNRTC (National Union of Thematic and Commercial Catering) carried out a study among their members. members, pointing out that out of a panel of 7,000 companies, 34% expected to have recruitment difficulties when they reopen.
In question, after more than a year marked by the pandemic and repeated closures, some workers have decided to change lanes while others, close to retirement, have chosen to shorten their professional lives because of the crisis.
Very uneven attendance
With regard to the problem of attendance, the places which preferred to remain closed are located in solely tourist areas or in business districts.
Indeed, some cities still encounter difficulties because of the lack of foreign tourists.
Read also: Our 20 favorite restaurants in Paris to take advantage of the reopening
"
Among those who have opened, hoteliers and restaurateurs in Paris, Lyon and Strasbourg are struggling to regain their activity,
" regrets Pascal Mousset, president of the Groupement National des Indépendants (GNI) Île-de-France. The GNI notes an average drop in turnover of 30% compared to 2019 for Parisian bars and restaurants. Youssef, manager of the Bistro Marbeuf, located a stone's throw from the Champs-Élysées, has recorded a drop of more than 50% in his turnover. “
We are in a tourist area, without tourists. In the evening, we don't have a lot of activity, whereas before, we were full from noon to midnight,
”he regrets.
A difficult situation in inner Paris, but not in the suburbs.
With the still massive recourse to teleworking, the Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de-Marne and Val-d'Oise departments benefit from the fact that their residents travel less to the capital.
“
We are seeing a transfer of activity to the suburbs.
It works very well for these departments,
”explains Pascal Mousset.
The coast, winner of the reopening
But attendance is very uneven. “
For its part, the coast is working very well. Some restaurateurs are even announcing a stronger activity than in 2019 thanks to French tourists traveling in the country,
”says Hervé Becam. Brittany and the Basque Country are particularly benefiting from this increase in attendance. An increase that has especially been felt since June 9 thanks to a larger reception area. Previously, since May 19, only terraces were allowed to accommodate customers. Despite a curfew moved to 11 p.m., two moments are preferred by customers: the lunch service and the aperitif in the early evening. With the lifting of the curfew this Sunday, customers should be able to return to their habits.
Read also: Reopening of restaurants: 1 in 3 professionals foresees recruitment difficulties
June 30 will mark the next and last stage in the reopening of these places of life, the obligation of a welcome gauge for disappearing customers.
But with the summer and the departures on vacation, attendance should be even more heterogeneous depending on the areas.
