It got a bit better for the restaurateurs with bars and restaurants now open with fifty percent seating. This is a dramatic improvement from the time when they could only provide takeaways and deliveries. It may have kept a few restaurants in business but generally it was a tough time for everyone in the business. This rule change has been generally welcomed though some had views of their own on what should have been done.
Donovan Vaz of Tesouro in Colva said he was definitely happy; it was better than nothing. He said “It is better than not having anything. People still want to come. We have got over our heads. The hassle was the lockdown was increased by the week which made it not possible to plan ahead. If the government had decided to have a lockdown for a month or two it would help us plan ahead. Shutting at 9 is fine though I think 10 would have been better”. He hoped everyone would follow the sops and ensure the mistakes of the past were not repeated. Everyone he said had to make a living.
Rony Martins of Mum’s Kitchen Panjim felt it was a good move and it would help them to comfortably cover the lunch schedule because it was usual for guests to sit and chat over lunch till 4.30 and it meant a lot. He however felt it would not be difficult for clubs to operate because the action in such places began only after 9 o clock. He felt the restaurant owners would have to do their job and ensured everyone followed the rules. He ended by saying “I am thankful the government listened to us. We were on the ventilator.”
Melroy D souza of Shivers Garden restaurant however had a very different view on the situation. He said “The government’s plans keep changing. If the third wave hits, we will be shut again. Goa has been hit really badly; it has been tough to plan. Where are the tourists? There are barely ten or twenty and they won’t be enough for 100 restaurants that are open now. It would have been a better idea to open in September when the situation was better and there was no virus”. He said the tourists came in earlier without being checked and Goa suffered. No one he said was taking responsibility for all the deaths of Goans. Now with 50 percent allowed, they would barely get two or three tables full which would not help because restaurants had to pay several taxes every month to stay in business.
Chandru, who has a restaurant called Camilio in Caranzalem, felt sticking to the takeaway model was the best. He said “Some covid positive patients may be in isolation at home but some of them walk around the place. If such people come to my restaurant who will take responsibility, I should know because I was one of the victims. I would prefer home delivery. Will the government compensate me if I fall ill? Who will take care of my family then? Let the vaccination be complete, I will not allow people in my restaurant. It is better to be safe than sorry.”
Carlos Noronha of Caravela café and Bistro said the timings did not affect him because they were open till 7.30 in Panjim and 9 in Candolim. He said, “ We have to cooperate, people have already responded in Cadolim with tourists coming in. I expect the crowds to get better in the days to follow”.
Edward George of George restaurant and bar said it would have been ideal to have business hours till 11 o’clock. But then something was better than nothing. He felt it would take another month before business really picked up. He said everyone should pray to god to ensure the third wave did not come to Goa. He ended by saying he was expecting a good season because tourists were walking around now and the numbers could only increase as the situation improves.
One of the old time restaurants in Panjim, Godinho Bar and Restaurant is looking forward to some business. The feeling was it was a good initiative but the fear of the virus would keep away business. It would have been better; the owner felt if the business hours would be extended to 11 o’clock. Some guests he said usually came only after 7 and it would be too tight to sit back and relax and enjoy. He felt it would be very important to follow all the norms to ensure the mistakes of the past were not repeated.
One can only hope, common sense is shown by everyone because the industry cannot afford another lockdown
