03 Jul Pandemic restaurant life

Today I’m looking for answers.

Today I’m asking government what LIVING WITH COVID means? Or WE ARE IN IT TOGETHER???
What should I say to my staff? They keep asking- WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW???? HOW MUCH LONGER? WHEN??? When can we ALL start “living with Covid”? WHY are we the ones to blame? What is the difference between hotel bar and bar?
What is the difference between hotel restaurant and restaurant? Why can I eat in the cinema but not in the cafe? Can please someone logically explain current situation to me?

Truth is- I’m jealous! I want to go back to work… I watch other businesses booming… I watch people working hard and I’m jealous! It is not fair.

Today is a difficult day. Today we lost staff member. This wonderful girl supposed to start working for us this Monday- 5th July. She was waiting patiently for nearly two months… just to be told this week- sorry but we are not allowed to reopen. We don’t know when, we don’t know anything. So she has to move on and find another job ( and in the current climate- she will get a job in minutes). And we lost her and I’m upset. It is so hard to find staff…

Today was the day I rang and cancelled all the bookings for next two weeks. Exhausted from repeating the same line- we are sorry, we don’t have an outdoor space, we are not allowed to reopen…. Two hours of torture. All the people who I spoke to were absolutely lovely and understanding and that made me cry. I miss my work so much. I miss our customers, the routine, the morning coffee, our staff… I just want to do what I love.
I know that last 16 months were challenging for everybody. Today I feel sorry for myself. Today I’m angry. I know that I’m very lucky and I know that there are people in much worst situation than I am. And that make me mad- I shouldn’t complain.

16 months of really bad rollercoaster.
15th March 2020. Overnight we had to close. We were scared, we were in it together. We understood. We stayed at home. Last summer came and restaurants reopen. We were nervous and excited. We got full list of new rules, recommendations, requests and laws…We comply. It was hard, but we did it. We trained staff, removed tables and chairs to have “social distancing”, we put masks on. Lots of extra responsibilities fell on us. We did it. We did it all. Autumn came- another lockdown… Back open for Christmas. We were so grateful, so scared… we worked so hard. And in the end- we were the one to blame…

and another lockdown….
The restaurants became even more creative. Fancy takeaways/ shops- deli/ Food boxes/ DIY boxes… it was so impressive to watch and be in it. We were trying to reinvent ourselves. We wanted to survive. We did it all.
AND… We got “THE DATE”- 5th July. The light in the tunnel. It kept me going. After months of unknowing I saw the finish line. Nerves came back, excitement and pure joy.
We were nearly there and then….

LIVING WITH COVID we were told… IN IT TOGETHER….
We are closed for over 7 months…

Kamila

PS sorry for depressing post. We all will be fine! I cannot wait to reopen. We will hug and dance soon ❤️