BENGALURU: A few days ago, social media was mourning the ‘loss’ of boutique restaurant Forage in Indiranagar. The F&B industry has been abuzz with talks of restaurant closures, but no one knew which would lead the way. ‘Heartbroken’ to have taken this decision, Nikki Ponappa, brand evangelist who managed Forage, admits that there was no way forward for a restaurant like Forage, which specialised in tapas and wine. “Operation costs, particularly the rent, is what led us to this decision,” says Ponappa, whose restaurant was built on the premise of clean eating. “We didn’t even have a deep freezer because everything was served fresh. Tapas and wine have a niche clientele and we knew that with skyrocketing prices and reduced footfall we couldn’t do this,” she says.
Amit Roy, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) managing committee member, questions why restaurants aren’t being allowed to open when salons and spas have been granted permission. “We’ve made multiple representations both at the state and national level. But the F&B industry has been ignored.
Instead, we’ve been asked to renew our liquor licences (of about `11 lakh) upfront, before the end of the month,” he says, pointing out that this is at a time when there’s no clarity about the re-opening of the industry. “How are we to sustain ourselves when we have to pay salaries, refrain from firing staff but haven’t run a single day in over two months?,” he adds.
While Forage has taken a drastic step, some like Pecos, one of Bengaluru’s oldest pubs, has turned to the public for support. Taking to social media, they have requested for a pledge of an amount people will spend once the pub re-opens. In return, they have promised a discount of five per cent on the cheque. “The coronavirus has ravaged the F&B industry. Incomes have dropped to zero while fixed costs remain. While we are determined to bounce back, this will not be possible without the support of the public,” says Liam Timms, director of Pecos.
The watering holes tucked away on Rest House Road have faced crises – including a 2017 ruling by the Supreme Court that banned the sale of alcohol within a 500-metre distance of National Highways – but none have been as hard as this. Timms’ father, Collin Timms, who started the pub in 1989 quite by accident, mentions that in the last 30 years of running the establishment, this is the first time that the place has been forced to close for this long. “We have been affectedly so very badly, and at this point we are just awaiting clarity about re-opening,” he says.
On an average, the pledge amount they have received so far has been between `5,000 to `10,000. “This way we can forge a connection with our regulars and at the same time show gratitude for showing their intent to our return,” says Timms.
While guidelines and re-opening dates have been hazy, Venkatesh Raghu, partner Amandé Patisserie, is expecting a dip in the number of franchises they supply frozen cake to. They are contemplating re-negotiation of salaries and lay-offs. “Sales have been affected and there has been a sharp dip in revenue. But we’ve also been careful with the amount we have invested in the business – approximately `5-6 crore – over the last 7-8 years,” he says.