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| BUSINESSES HIT HARD BY ATTACKS |
Restaurants are forced to lay-off
staff as people stay away
RESTAURANTS are being forced to sack employees following a drastic
down turn in trade since the bombings of July 7.
Leading establishments are claiming that profits have been hit by
as much as 50 per cent since the terrorist attacks.
L’Escargot, the historic French restaurant in Greek Street,
Soho, has been laying off senior management and has stopped recruiting
completely.
Manager Laurent Masse said: “We have had to take drastic measures.
Not only do we have fewer customers but they are spending less.
Some people are feeling less confident about the security of their
jobs while others are going straight home after work in case the
transport system shuts down.”
He added: “We had been up by five per cent until July 7, but
now we are 15 per cent down.”
Bosses at the celeb-hangout in nearby Shaftesbury Avenue, Incognico,
have expressed similar concerns and said “Americans are staying
away, it has hit us hard”. They are closing for the rest of
August.
But businesses in Covent Garden have been particularly hit as the
Underground station only reopened yesterday (Thursday) after police
investigations.
Valerie O’Reilly, the daughter of Alain Lhermitte who runs
the 60 year-old Mon Plaisir in Monmouth Street, said that profits
were down by 50 per cent.
She said: “Trade has really gone down, we are seriously worried
obviously.
“About a 50 per cent drop in profit, and 30 per cent drop in
customers – it is quite unbelievable.
“Tourists are staying away because they just hear what they
hear in their cities, and then imagine it to be far worse than it
is.”
Manager of Tuttons in Russell Street, Sally Johnson, said: “The
Tube station is opening today (Thursday) so we are hoping that business
will pick up now”.
Mark Whitley, manager at Christopher’s on Wellington Street
said the bombings had had a more immediate effect on his restaurant.
He added: “Business has been slow because all the hacks have
been out working- they make up a large part of my clientele”. |
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