Restaurant owner calls for "fairness and clarity" to give hospitality a fighting chance

The owner of one of Edinburgh’s oldest restaurants has issued a desperate plea to the Scottish government for “fairness and clarity” to give businesses like his a fighting chance.
Dean and Layla Gassabi at Maison Bleue Le BistrotDean and Layla Gassabi at Maison Bleue Le Bistrot
Dean and Layla Gassabi at Maison Bleue Le Bistrot

Dean Gassabi, who runs Maison Bleue with his daughter Layla, says the hospitality trade has been left in the dark after the decision to keep the capital locked in level 3 Covid-19 restrictions.

He warned that he could be forced to mount an expensive legal challenge with his insurance company to try to prevent closing his doors.

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But the business is already on “it’s last legs” after the Victoria Street restaurant generated no income during months of lockdown closure and has had to remain shut, while takings at sister eatery, Morningside’s Maison Bleue Le Bistrot, are now down by two-thirds due to current limited opening hours.

Edinburgh is being left in level three despite advice understood to have been given to ministers that the Capital had met all of the criteria for being moved down to level two.

That would have allowed bars and restaurants to stay open until 8pm and serve alcohol with a main meal.

Mr Gassabi added: “Businesses like retail and others around here are desperate for us to open, it helps keep the buzz about the area. But instead we’ve had to make a few redundancies. We’re doing all we can to keep people on.

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“I understand the position of the government. But the help just isn’t there for businesses like mine. This is so tough and we’re frustrated. It can’t carry on like this.

“We’re open at Morningside at the moment and can sit just 22 people, so that’s affected our capacity to keep people safe, as we’ve had to half the tables and seats to stick to social distancing.”

“We’re not even taking a third of what we usually would. We only opened Victoria Street for 6 weeks in summer before we had to shut again. And we don’t do takeaways. I believe what we do doesn’t really travel. It’s a restaurant experience. The help we get through furlough scheme helps employees, and we’re grateful for that but it doesn’t help the business to trade.”

“I will do whatever it takes to stay open. We’ve been here 27 years.

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“Opening for a few hours and closing at 5pm is just not feasible. We’re losing money hand over fist every week. Plus we have big suppliers still charging us for services they are not even providing. We’re under pressure from every side.”

“We will fight to keep going but we are on our last legs and yet we might have to find a way to start a legal challenge.”

“We need a fair and clear decision on how long the closure could last. I understand need to keep people safe. But restaurants are much safer than so many other spaces that are currently open. That has to be reflected in the plans.”

The Scottish Beer & Pub Association has branded the time restrictions on hospitality and the decision to leave Edinburgh in level three “hugely disappointing”.

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Councillors and MSPs have condemned the decision as a “hammer blow” for jobs and businesses.

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