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The restaurant industry all over the world is facing an unprecedented crisis and nowhere more so than in the United Kingdom. While other European countries such as Italy, France, Germany and Spain have acted swiftly decisively to order all restaurants and bars to close, Britain has yet to issue a mandate from the government to do so.
It leaves Britain’s hospitality industry in a very tight squeeze, as not only will remaining open subject customers and staff to more risk of infection from coronavirus, but it means restaurants and bars cannot claim loss of earnings from their insurers as there is nothing preventing them from continuing to trade.
Just as the rest of the world, the pub and restaurant industry are the life’s blood of social interaction as well as a major part of the domestic economy. Letting them fail in their hour of need would wreak untold damage on the economy and on the social fabric.
London has a thriving, diverse and eclectic restaurant industry that can compare to the best anywhere in the world, yet this industry is in a time of crisis.  London based chef Jeremy Chan of Ikoyi has started a petition to press the UK government to officially mandate that all restaurants and bars should close and to provide the kind of financial support previous shown to the financial and aviation sectors.  You can sign it here.
