Cafés and restaurants bear the brunt of the Covid-19 downturn
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Canberra’s hospitality workers are virtual canaries in a coalmine as the coronavirus has made an immediate impact on the number of people choosing to frequent their local cafes and restaurants.
As the ACT awaits news of a local Government stimulus package, hospitality workers are bracing for job losses across the sector amid a looming and unprecedented economic downturn.
Chair of the Canberra Business Chamber, Archie Tsirimokos, said café and restaurant owners were assessing the situation day by day, but were already feeling the brunt of customer caution and a dramatic fall in trade across the past week.
“I have been in business for more than 30 years and what we are seeing at the moment is unprecedented. Unlike previous financial crises and the Global Financial Crisis there was a lead-up, but this is like suddenly finding we have walked to the edge of a cliff and now we are looking down.”
While Archie said there was no point in panicking, and that the federal and ACT Governments were formulating ways to assist as an urgent priority, he did note that casual and part-time hospitality staff would probably feel the first wave of job losses across the territory.
“Retail has a bit more of a buffer as it can move online, but cafés which have a roster of staff who are no longer needed are going to have to make some tough decisions now and in the coming weeks.”
He said any permanent damage to the hospitality sector would impact on Canberra’s future economic stability, given how crucial the sector is in drawing tourism dollars to the territory.
“Canberra is known for its food and café culture. But depending on how this plays out, we may be looking at empty stores and boarded-up restaurants. Our goal is to ensure that we can support these businesses as much as possible to get through the immediate future in as best shape as possible so that when this immediate threat is over, we can restore the local economy.”
The Knox in Watson. Photo: supplied
For café owner Dan Conroy said he had instituted dramatic changes to his thriving café The Knox in Watson to eliminate as much contact between staff and customers as possible.
“Thank God we had tonnes of hand sanitiser because there is now a worldwide shortage. But we are using it constantly, sanitising menus, washing hands, stopping keep-cups, removing salt from tables, only using cashless payments and absolutely no self-service.”
Dan was relieved customers were still coming in and were happily adhering to the new hygiene policies as well as sitting further apart.
He had a plan in place to further lock down the café as the crisis continued or worsened including contingencies to offer curb-side pick-up and deliver takeaway orders.
“I am hoping and praying it doesn’t come to that but we have to plan for it. I am taking things on a twelve-hourly basis at the moment and my absolute priority is to try and keep my 60 staff members.
“We have never faced these sorts of conditions before and the safety of our customers is my number one concern as well as the futures of my team. I am just conscious of the fact that no matter what happens people are still going to need to eat.”
Alex Piris says the entire local industry is braced for losses. Photography: Tim Bean
Similarly, Alex Piris, who owns Manolo’s in Phillip, and Fox and Bow in Farrer, said the entire local industry was braced for losses, but people who stockpiled pasta were going to want a change after a few days.
“It’s been a pretty shocking situation and we are still working out how it is going to unfold, but right now I am trying to stay positive and to think of ways of serving people, even if they are in isolation.”
“Very much at the forefront of my thoughts are concerns for my staff, concerns about paying my rent and concerns about my own family.”
Manolo’s in Phillip. Photography: Tim Bean
Alex has hired web developers to come up with an online ordering platform, and has just announced drive-through contactless pick-ups and a dedicated local delivery option from Fox and Bow using his own staff to avoid any of the major delivery services.
“Where I can keep my own team-members employed I will by getting them to take the food out.”
Yet not every restaurant could avail themselves of takeaway options.
Rubicon’s Owen Kenyon says takeaway isn’t an option for his fine dining dishes. Photography: Tim Bean
Fine dining industry stalwart Rubicon would be unlikely to offer takeaway, even if the situation worsened.
Rubicon chef and owner Owen Kenyon said his food was not designed to travel given its complex composition and presentation value.
“Our only option is to remain open for as long as possible and to let customers know we have put every measure in place to ensure they can still have an enjoyable meal while being safe.”
Tables at Rubicon have been spread throughout the four dining rooms to separate diners. Photography: Tim Bean
Owen said Rubicon had instituted single-use menus and taken everything off tables to minimise hand contact. Tables had also been spread throughout the four dining rooms to separate diners and while he had lost ”a tonne of bookings” this week, he was happy to report that on Tuesday night, a lot of people turned up “just to get away from the hysteria and stress of it all”.
“It ended up being a great night where everyone was obviously careful but there was some respite from thinking about it and our customers really appreciated having a safe and relaxing experience.”
Owen said that if a lockdown was instituted, his restaurant was likely to close its doors “temporarily, hopefully”.
“I am just really hoping it doesn’t come to that and we can pull through this.”
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