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Lebanese Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Night-Clubs, and Pastry Shops: “The funeral of the sector has begun”
The Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafés, Night-Clubs, and Pastry Shops in Lebanon issued an alarming statement earlier today, mourning the sector and announcing that its “funeral has begun”.
This comes after months of endless pleas to authorities demanding support to the sector, all of which fell on deaf ears.
According to the syndicate, the government failed to respond to their “reasonable demands” for help. They had proposed a rescue plan to the government, but to no avail.
Loosely translated, their statement read: “we showed the world that Lebanon is the number one international food destination in 2016, and now the world will watch our funeral and talk about how authorities failed our sector.”
“No one cared for us, no one sympathized with us, and no one fought by our side,” they continued. “We can only deliver words of farewell and apologies to our employees and children and sympathy for our workers and children.”
The sector’s struggles have been ongoing for nearly 8 months now. Back in November, they announced that more than 400 restaurants, cafes, pubs, and other establishments had closed down in under 3 months.
But since then, with the worsening economic crisis, diminishing purchasing power, and the complete coronavirus lockdown, nearly 800 establishments have shut down.
Coca Cola, Le Bristol Hotel, and Dar Bistro & Books are only a few of the prominent names that recently bid Beirut farewell.
Considering the fact that Lebanon is almost purely a service sector-centric economy, this is troubling to say the very least.
— National News Agency (@NNALeb) May 19, 2020
This comes after months of endless pleas to authorities demanding support to the sector, all of which fell on deaf ears.
According to the syndicate, the government failed to respond to their “reasonable demands” for help. They had proposed a rescue plan to the government, but to no avail.
Loosely translated, their statement read: “we showed the world that Lebanon is the number one international food destination in 2016, and now the world will watch our funeral and talk about how authorities failed our sector.”
“No one cared for us, no one sympathized with us, and no one fought by our side,” they continued. “We can only deliver words of farewell and apologies to our employees and children and sympathy for our workers and children.”
The sector’s struggles have been ongoing for nearly 8 months now. Back in November, they announced that more than 400 restaurants, cafes, pubs, and other establishments had closed down in under 3 months.
But since then, with the worsening economic crisis, diminishing purchasing power, and the complete coronavirus lockdown, nearly 800 establishments have shut down.
Coca Cola, Le Bristol Hotel, and Dar Bistro & Books are only a few of the prominent names that recently bid Beirut farewell.
Considering the fact that Lebanon is almost purely a service sector-centric economy, this is troubling to say the very least.
