6,000 jobs at risk at Cafe Rouge & Bella Italia. Branches in Greenwich and Bexleyheath to close?
New tonight reveals that up to 6,000 jobs are at risk at restaurant chains Cafe Rouge, Bella Italia and Las Iguanas.
Cafe Rouge has two branches in Greenwich (the o2 and Greenwich town centre) plus one in Blackheath. Bella Italia has branches in Bexleyheath, with Las Iguanas also having a restaurant in the o2.
The overall owner of all brands is Casual Dining Group who now have 10 days to seek a restructure. Some job losses look likely even if they succeed in reducing rents with landlords.
Many shopping centre owners are also in trouble as business failed to pay rent in recent months. Intu are one such company that are heavily in debt to the tune of £4.5 billion.
Problems were mounting even before the current situation saw reduced rents.
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Terrible news your heart as to go out to the business owners and staff at threat of losing their business or jobs during these difficult times of the Covid-19 crisis.
Lets hope this crisis is over soon and that we do not get a second spike of this nasty horrible virus.
It’s heartbreaking to see one name after another go to the wall. I like Cafe Rouge, it’s a treat for me as I can’t afford it normally and I’d be deeply sorry to see it go and see hardworking people sent out to look for work once again. We can only indeed hope that the restaurant business innovates and adapts to this horrible reality, and the public will not abuse any reopening of eateries by taking the mick out of sensible precautions.
The second spike may be worsened however if the government continues to withold rates relief and grants from medical premises. Unlike restaurants, private dentists, podiatrists physiotherapists and GPs have had no financial help and many are facing the prospect of zero customers + full business rates. Private clinics exist to fill in the gap the NHS can’t cover (wait six months for a free dentist appointment at King’s or pay for it?). For a lot of medical professionals, the choice will be bankruptcy, work for the NHS or move abroad. If you had transferable medical skills and were watching your business collapse, would you really want to work for the government that let you go under?
It’s been years since I have been into a Cafe Rouge and i’ve never been to the Greenwich one. Covid-19 has hastened the sickness that has aflicted food and and retail businesses.