Yesterday I was requested as a restaurant writer to prepare a submission for an urgent court proceeding to be brought against Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel, should he not meet the demand by today 6 July of restaurateurs that restaurants be allowed to serve alcohol with meals served, and to allow the distance rule for persons sitting at the same table to be reduced from 1,5 meters. The matter is being handled by Advocate Theo Nel, with support if the Karoo Art Hotel in Barrydale, and Chef Liam Tomlin’s six restaurants, including three Chefs Warehouses.
In preparing my document, I came to the conclusion that the restaurant industry in our country has been the one most severely discriminated against, given the number of hoops and hurdles it has had to deal with in terms of do’s and dont’s in the period just before Lockdown commenced, and the 102 days since it commenced! Continue reading →
Today is a day of excitement as well as disappointment for restaurateurs, who have so looked forward to reopening their doors for a Sit-Down Service. The official reopening date is today, but sadly it appears that many restaurant doors will remain closed, restaurateurs citing the prohibition of serving alcohol with a meal, and this being the quietest time of the year for restaurants as the reasons why they will not reopen now, continuing with their Food and Alcohol Delivery and Collection Service.