Bars closed due to coronavirus, suppliers and employees unpaid, incalculable damage to the restaurant industry
As soon as we heard the news, we immediately objected to the paradoxical and unfair nature of the ordinance issued by the Lombardy Region, which mandates the closure of bars and nightclubs after 6 pm.
It's unclear why they'd target only those with that type of license, and only after 6 p.m. The rationale should be to avoid gatherings. But do they really think this distinction makes sense? That there's no risk in a crowded breakfast bar? That there's no risk in a restaurant where people eat less than a meter away from their neighbors. Let's be clear, this doesn't mean we should close everything. But the point is: it's everyone or no one. Either there's a serious risk of a pandemic and drastic, collective measures must be taken, or we decide we can do without any intervention.
What's certain is that this situation is already causing and will continue to cause enormous economic damage, difficult to calculate. Many establishments have stopped not only food and wine supplies, but also payments. Can you imagine what this means for distributors, agents, and wine and food producers? And can you imagine what this means for employees and contractors who will be laid off or left unpaid? Restaurants aren't doing any better. While there's no obligation to close, for now, business has still declined considerably. People prefer to stay home, order from apps, and cook for themselves. Some Milanese restaurants—from Trippa to Al Mercato to Bon Wei—have decided to stay closed. Out of "solidarity," like Trippa, but also because the climate is such that it's almost inconvenient to stay open under these conditions.
What will be done to help the restaurant and bar industry? How long will it last? It's difficult to predict, but what is certain is that (also considering what's happening at wine fairs) the economic consequences will likely be dramatic for many. The flipside of the irresponsible panic of those looting supermarkets is the fear that's driving everyone to stay indoors. That quarantine that Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wanted to avoid and which now risks becoming a reality.