The hospitality industry is ANGRY and is heading to the Malieveld in The Hague
Hospitality entrepreneurs have been angry for some time now about the uncertainty surrounding the reopening of restaurants and cafés. The uncertainty continues and more and more entrepreneurs are going under due to the government’s minimal support. And we haven’t even mentioned the crowds in shopping streets and other places, where retail is simply open. The Hospitality Alliance has had enough and is calling for a protest.
The uncertainty is lasting longer and longer, and more and more entrepreneurs are going under because of the coronavirus crisis. Although the government is providing support, it is nowhere near enough. That is why the Hospitality Alliance, consisting of the Association of Chinese-Asian Hospitality Entrepreneurs (VCHO), the Association of Professional Fryers (ProFri) and the Dutch Hospitality Guild (NHG), is organising a protest in The Hague on 7 December.
Ultimatum
Last week, the hospitality industry in Brabant set its own ultimatum to open independently on 17 January and stop waiting for the government’s green light. Despite the glimmer of hope we still have for the hospitality industry reopening around mid-December, the Hospitality Alliance says the call for additional support is more than necessary: ‘The hospitality industry deserves support for its cooperation; full support and not a dull blow’, according to trade magazine Snackkoerier.
The action points
The current and future reduction of support measures is unacceptable and disastrous for the hospitality industry as a whole. So it is time for action! The various action points include:
- Creating a support centre for entrepreneurs who fall outside the existing schemes. This includes entrepreneurs who opened their business at the beginning of 2020. It is absolutely ridiculous that these entrepreneurs receive no compensation whatsoever!
- Providing support to businesses that are open (collection, delivery) but face additional costs because employees are in home quarantine or have to wait for their test results at home.
- In any case: the hospitality industry must reopen as soon as possible! In phases and in a responsible and safe manner, of course.
- Why are all hospitality establishments being tarred with the same brush? The government should instead take the different types of hospitality businesses into account, such as hotels, restaurants ranging from small to large, cafeterias and cafés, and determine which measures should apply to each segment.
- Along these lines, the reopening should not be based on the maximum number of people per room, but per square metre, naturally taking the one-and-a-half-metre distancing rule into account. Isn’t that much more logical from scratch anyway? Come on, government, think and work with us!
The Hospitality Alliance is calling on all entrepreneurs, employees and partners in the hospitality industry to come to The Hague on Monday 7 December at 12:00 for the protest. The associations are asking people to come wearing a face mask and to maintain the required distance. Anyone who wants to participate can register via the website of VCOH, ProFi or NHG.
Also read:
- What a shame! These star chefs are closing their doors at Christmas
- Inside story: hospitality entrepreneur on what it is like to run a restaurant during coronavirus
- In a coronavirus cooking slump? Don’t worry, we have your back!
Source: Snackkoerier
