Restaurant Impossible: The reality of the restaurant business today in Saint Lucia

Part 2 In our series on the impact of Covid-19 on the entertainment and restaurant business.

The economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has bitten deep into the livelihood of restaurateurs. Under the present restrictions, tourists in Saint Lucia are not permitted to venture beyond their resorts for a dining experience, leaving restaurants reliant on the local population, many of whom are cash-strapped. So how are restaurant owners responding? For insight, the STAR turned to Matthew Hartmann, co-owner of BUZZ in Rodney Bay and spokesperson for AIR (Association of Independent Restaurants).

STAR: How has COVID-19 affected business?

MH: Dramatically! During lockdown there was obviously no business. For tourism-based restaurants like ours, you are looking at 70-80 per cent attrition of business. Because the revenues are so low, we have to be very careful about what we offer, as profit margins are zero. What COVID has done, is allow us to take a forensic analysis of our costs. So, on one side you’re trying to drive revenue and, if you can’t, you have to look at costs, and we’ve been able to significantly reduce costs on most things. It’s an exercise that people should do more often. 

STAR: What is BUZZ currently offering patrons?

MH: Contactless takeaway at lunchtime is popular. After being approved on our health protocols, we recently resumed serving dinner in our spacious outdoor area. It’s currently from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a new menu, reduced prices and value added.

STAR: Takeaway has been a major part of your business this year. Will you embrace this permanently?

MH: We introduced takeaway well before COVID, having realised that there was a gap in the local market, and it became the gravy to our well-established night business. The challenge was that as soon as COVID hit, everyone else jumped on the bandwagon, so the pie got split up even further. But yes, I think the takeaway model is going to increase. Given the amount of apps and the framework that has been put in place for delivery, with delivery companies popping up all over, then I think this is the way to go for the foreseeable future.

STAR: How are you encouraging people to patronise BUZZ?

MH: We advertise daily on our WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram and have had a lot of positive feedback on the way we are doing this. We have value-added “flash sales” during our lunch service and there are special nights, such as pasta and burger night, with meals at reduced prices. 

STAR: How many staff did you have pre-COVID and how many have you retained?

MH: We had 15 before. Now it’s one, plus Marisa [co-owner] and me, by day. At night there are two to help us.

STAR: Have you received any assistance with your rent and other overheads?

MH: Our landlords have been really good to us and very accommodating. We now pay a performance-based rent, which works quite well. We’ve had moratoriums on aspects like utilities and food supplies but all of these things are coming to an end; it’s going to be “crunch time” shortly. As for the government, apart from Income Relief for the staff, there has been nothing as yet, although the government has launched a grant loan scheme through SLDB [Saint Lucia Development Bank] for SMEs which I don’t believe is online as yet.

STAR: What has motivated you to keep going?

MH: I want to see Saint Lucia succeed. The restaurants that we have are part of a larger tourism product which can be likened to an ecosystem; and if you remove one organism from the ecosystem, eventually it collapses. So it has always been my opinion that we have to make sure the restaurants survive so that the rest of the industry survives, and the rest of the economy as well.

STAR: You are the spokesperson for an interim association: AIR (Association of Independent Restaurants). What has been happening on that front?

MH: We approached the government with a marketing campaign to support local. In principle, they had agreed. They replied with a much smaller amount than requested, for the online marketing and to work alongside the SLHTA [Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association], which we are willing to do. What we would like, though, is for our government to look at the “Eat Out to Help Out” model currently in operation in England, whereby the government matches your spend, up to ten pounds, on food consumed in restaurants on certain midweek days. This gets staff back working, they pay NIC and PAYE, and it starts the economy moving again. The AIR believes that a model like this would work in Saint Lucia. 

STAR: Any personal experiences you wish to share?

MH:  I’ve had depressive episodes because you ride a massive rollercoaster on all this and just don’t know where your livelihood is going. It’s very scary, sobering. It has encouraged me to look inward; I have redoubled my meditation practice and exercise. Important to me is the act of giving back; I truly believe in the maxim ‘Save a life every day’ and that means going out and helping somebody less fortunate than you because there is always a little something you can do. In Saint Lucia we used to have this concept, ‘Koudmain’, where the community comes together to help rebuild a person’s house, livelihood. I really believe that this type of community spirit should be reimplemented as it would greatly assist us all.

Call 458 0450 to order takeaway or book a table, email: buzzreservations@gmail.com