At the back of Olivier Abello’s brasserie, boulevard Jean-Jaurès in Nîmes, chairs and tables are piled up. More than to take them out on the terrace. “We are ready, assures the manager, behind the counter. The machine is ready, the sets are ready to be released. We can serve people overnight, on the terrace anyway! “ Precisely, the light begins to arrive at the end of the tunnel. Thursday evening, Emmanuel Macron said he was counting reopen certain cultural venues, particularly museums, and restaurant and café terraces. An opening that would take place in a territorialized way.
From one day to the next we can serve people, on the terrace anyway!
In the neighboring brewery, at the Pantel, there are take-out sales. Before reopening the terrace, there is still a little work : “replenish stocks, dust off, see sanitary hygiene, lists manager Eric Pantel. We have redone the painting, the lighting, the decoration but that’s not everything, there is still work. “ As for health rules, the bosses are rather reassured. They’re used to it now. At the pizzeria La Locanda, Elise Bodin is still planning some adjustments: “We will most certainly apply for an extension of terraces to try to recover a maximum number of covers while respecting social distancing.”
Do I have to hire? We do everything gropingly, it’s very stressful. It is not a real deliverance.
The partner of the Italian restaurant has only fifty seats outside. “It’s all well and good to reopen, but only the terraces will greatly reduce the places we are worried about for the future, she confides. And then we have to reorganize the teams, we are in a take-out mode at the moment, it’s very different. Do I have to hire? We do everything gropingly, it’s very stressful. It’s not a real deliverance. “
Up to 90% of turnover in terraces
Place d’Assas, Danieli director Guillaume Allary is already anticipating recruitments. “We are in the job interviews, he explains, in the middle of the work in progress in his restaurant. We hope to complete all staff at the end of the month or the beginning of May. We have to be ready, we can’t miss each other. “
Nîmes restaurateurs remain confident: in summer, the terraces represent up to 90% of their turnover.
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