Restaurant owners have expressed their frustration, anger, and solidarity as they have been once again been forced to shut down their establishments overnight. 

Additional restrictive measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus, which reached a record level of daily new cases on Thursday, include the banning of eat-in dining at restaurants and snack bars. 

The measures are effective from 5th March to 11th April. 

Andrew Debattista Segond, who runs five restaurants, including Drew’s Sicilia in Bocca, believes that the restrictions are “silly”.

“People aren’t getting infected from restaurants,” he says. “They’re getting infected from private gatherings.”

He says that over the last year there has not been a single registered case of COVID-19 in any of his restaurants. “Not one,” he stresses.

Asked how he will deal with the overnight shutdown, he says he will be going to eat some crudo.

“No, seriously, I am on my way right now to eat the crudo we have in stock along with some staff. If it’s kept in the fridge for over three days it might as well be thrown away.”

And crudo won’t be the only thing that Mr Debattista Segond will have to distribute for free.

“I have a delivery of sweets coming in from Gozo, that I will have to give to staff, friends and family. At least they won’t go to waste!”

Some of the sweets that Mr Debattista Segond will need to take a loss on

The feast is however of little consolation for the unfair treatment he feels restaurants are receiving.

“We are really considering whether to offer takeaway service,” he says, “since we do not in any way want to encourage people to meet privately.”

Meanwhile, Andre Micallef, responsible for operations and business development at the Marvin Gauci Group, was not available for comment, simply saying that, “At the moment we are under extreme pressure to take the necessary measures to mitigate this situation.”

“We have 60 employees,” he says. “The first priority for us is them.”

He says that stock is not a concern, with all ingredients being utilised for take-outs.

In a post on Facebook, Sean Gravina, owner of CRUST in St Julian’s, expressed his disappointment at how the overnight closure of restaurants was announced.

“Half if not three quarters of restaurants can’t offer takeaway or delivery cause of the style of food they offer,” he said, “leaving them with a jam packed fridge that was ready for the weekend.”

Echoing Mr Debattista Segond’s comments, he insisted that the high numbers are not due to restaurants and bars, pointing to other countries as evidence

“With both closed [in other countries], the numbers were still rising and fast. I am still waiting for the 'Science' to prove this wrong.”

Mr Gravina called out the “irresponsible people who holidayed in large groups or people outside their bubble the week after carnival to evade the restrictions put in play the week of carnival, [the] people who decided to throw a party, [the] people who meet in farmhouses.”

He also pleaded with the authorities to enforce the measures and hold people accountable for their actions.

“Because the catering industry needs you too.”

In a message of support to the rest of the industry, Mr Gravina said, “My heart goes out to those restaurants that were seeing light at the end of the tunnel!”

He was not the only one to take that angle, with Rafel Sammut, owner of Briju in Gzira, posting a message of solidarity with other restaurant and hotel owners.

“It’s been one hell of a year,” he said. “Let’s take this time to think, innovate and all come back better and stronger!”

“Big thank you to all our clients, we will miss you all - but see you all again very soon.”

Noni, the Michelin-starred eatery in Valletta, also thanked its clients for their support, as it announced that it would be temporarily closing down.

Meanwhile, Daniel Grech, behind Burgers Ink and more recently the Wagyu concept, also in Valletta, called for calm.