Tuesday morning, in the room at 12, rue Guillaume-de-Marceilles, three young women are in training. On the menu of the day, the theme of the operating license is in strong resonance with current events. Le Havre leader of the National Union of Hotels, Restaurants, Cafetiers and Caterers, President of the National Group of Independent Hotels and Restaurants (GNI) of Normandy, Slimane Hamzaoui receives multiple echoes of concern, anger or fed up. from Le Havre professionals. And here he is particularly upset in front of a situation that he finds ubuesque.
While establishments that are strictly bars only had to close this weekend, at the same time as the 9 p.m. curfew was declared, brasseries and other places to eat can serve drinks, alcoholic or not. , All day long. ” Seine-Maritime is the only Normandy department where it is possible, in a licensed restaurant III or IV, to serve drinks without them accompanying a meal », Explains the union official.
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Tuesday morning, in the room at 12, rue Guillaume-de-Marceilles, three young women are in training. On the menu of the day, the theme of the operating license is in strong resonance with current events. Le Havre leader of the National Union of Hotels, Restaurants, Cafetiers and Caterers, President of the National Group of Independent Hotels and Restaurants (GNI) of Normandy, Slimane Hamzaoui receives multiple echoes of concern, anger or fed up from Le Havre professionals. And here he is particularly taken up in front of a situation that he finds ubiquitous.
While establishments that are strictly bars only had to close this weekend, at the same time as the 9 p.m. curfew was declared, brasseries and other places to eat can serve drinks, alcoholic or not. , All day long. ” Seine-Maritime is the only Normandy department where it is possible, in a licensed restaurant III or IV, to serve drinks without them accompanying a meal », Explains the union official.
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Stigma
Stigma
« We do not understand these differences in measurement. It is an aberration. Pure bars don’t work anymore. And we are going to concentrate a population drinking its glasses in restaurants. I am outraged. We put two professions at odds, in opposition, the prefect creates animosity when it does not exist. We want to stigmatize bars. There is a risk of fostering a spirit of rebellion, of disobedience. But why can’t we all work and close at 21 h ? Bars have already lost the benefits of Beaujolais. What about the end of the year ? continues the boss of Bistrot Saint-Nicolas. No investigation proves there have been more cases Covid-19 in bars than elsewhere. What is the difference between eating and drinking around the same table? ? Those who drink generally keep the table for a shorter period. And the bosses know how to regulate the flow, apply the health protocols that we have proposed to the government », He complains, well aware that the State could very soon give a new turn of screw in its sanitary measures against the houses where one cooks. ” Of course, bars are likely to close permanently He fears.
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« We do not understand these differences in measurement. It is an aberration. Pure bars don’t work anymore. And we are going to concentrate a population drinking its glasses in restaurants. I am outraged. We put two professions at odds, in opposition, the prefect creates animosity when it does not exist. We want to stigmatize bars. There is a risk of fostering a spirit of rebellion, of disobedience. But why can’t we all work and close at 21 h ? Bars have already lost the benefits of Beaujolais. What about the end of the year ? continues the boss of Bistrot Saint-Nicolas. No investigation proves there have been more cases Covid-19 in bars than elsewhere. What is the difference between eating and drinking around the same table? ? Those who drink generally keep the table for a shorter period. And the bosses know how to regulate the flow, apply the health protocols that we have proposed to the government », He complains, well aware that the State could very soon give a new turn of screw in its sanitary measures against the houses where one cooks. ” Of course, bars are likely to close permanently He fears.
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The disgust of bar owners
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People are on the terrace in front of a restaurant, drinking a beer. And we cannot open. That’s what annoys us a little bit », Retains Marianne Thibault, owner of the evening bar Le Merle Moqueur, rue Richelieu, in Le Havre. ”
Why aren’t we allowed to make lemonade when it’s our core business ? »Continues her partner and husband, Laurent. ”
It is as disturbing as bars which would make dance evenings to the detriment of discotheques. We don’t understand. We are punished and at the same time, we make clusters in restaurants, annoys the shopkeeper.
We have trouble fishing for information. Before the closing, already, it was not clear, she continues.
We cannot do our job. It’s really one sided, supports the one who denounces inequalities.
We called the service attached to the drinking establishments to the national police. The issue of closure depends on the NAF code », Explains Marianne. The NAF code (French classification of activity), or APE code (Main activity exercised), allows INSEE to list the main activity of a company. However, two establishments with different codes can have very comparable activities. ”
Some are going to make good numbers while we go crazy. While we have done everything to enforce health instructions », Grumbles the couple, who had already had to close between March 15 and June 2. ”
A confinement and it will be the double penalty », Dreads the husband.
« In the middle of a storm »
Emmanuel Jaspard’s two young servers are unemployed and he cleared his terrace on Friday to spend his time at home. ”
I have some cash, but it depends on how long it lasts », He confides. His bar, the Vinyl, located on Place Jules-Ferry, no longer lives in the evening, no longer lives at all. ”
When we don’t know who to hit anymore, we hit us, he slips, before a significant silence.
I am resigned. We will have to pay the charges. Either way, we are going to be confined, at least in the areas most affected by the virus. He thinks.
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The public authorities are completely lost. Nothing is clear. To understand the orders, you have to have done NASA, judge Corentin Dejean de la Bâtie, owner of the Bistrot, avenue René-Coty, since September 2019 with Julien Larue.
The Town Hall is the only one to give some explanations when contacted. You can open with a small catering, but on condition that you prove that you have a kitchen ! What does it mean ? I’m not going to risk an administrative shutdown. While restaurant owners can serve alcohol. It is Ubu king. “The coffee maker notes that the State can allocate a monthly aid of 1,500 € to establishments, but still fears”
the catastrophe ». «
We advance in a storm, in the fog. And I’m not talking about nightclubs … Fortunately, our bank follows us », He reacts.
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I don’t know what to think anymore, comments Sandrine Freulet, co-patron of the bar La Source.
The Town Hall should have informed us all, precisely, on what we can and cannot do. Customers wonder why we are not working. I officially have a brewery status, but it’s not my core business and I prefer to close rather than work at a loss. We think. We are waiting for the next announcements … We will be able to hold out, but not for long months, that’s for sure. »
What the prefect says
In addition to the measures taken by decrees in the fight against the coronavirus, the Prefecture of Seine-Maritime communicated on Saturday, October 24 to specify their application, but also to present additional decisions from the representative of the State in the department. Extract:
“Establishments open to the public (ERP) of type N (drinking establishments) […] are closed all day. It should be noted that the ERP type N (restaurants) can however continue to welcome the public (except between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.). For restaurants with a restaurant license or a small restaurant license, the sale of alcoholic beverages is only permitted with a meal. Restaurants with license III and IV can, for their part, serve drinks, including outside meals, under the regulatory conditions of common law. ”
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