Few can argue that the struggles faced by restaurant and bar owners due to COVID restrictions have not been extensively discussed in the media and public forums.

While bars have remained closed since end-October, restaurants faced their second round of closures since the beginning of March. In addition, restrictions on the number of patrons allowed inside eateries have been in place for over a year.

Often left out of the discussion, however, are catering and bar staff, many of which have received miserly wages over the past year, only possible thanks to the COVID-19 wage supplement, and the topping up, if possible, by their employers.

Honing in on this, Nathan Brimmer, owner of The Pub in Valletta, has taken to social media in an impassioned call for consumers to be kind, courteous and generous with tips once restaurants and bars are allowed to reopen.

“It has been a long and arduous year for business owners in the catering industry, but I’m not here to talk about that. We’ve waffled on about the hardships we’ve faced, but we have neglected to talk about the lifeblood of every business. Its staff,” he wrote.

“They too have been unemployed for over a year. Those consummate professionals who know nothing but bar or restaurant work, who give their life to the catering service, have had a very rough year.

“Whilst the government aid, as well as any aid employers, may have provided to their staff, was a help, it was barely enough for them to scrape by. These people still have rent and bills to pay, families to support and lives to live. The vast majority of them struggle to eke out a decent living in the best of times and this past year has seen many of them hit rock bottom.”

In a message supporting catering and bar staff, Mr Brimmer said:

“The next time you are sat in your local pub or favourite dinner spot, you have an opportunity to thank your staff and help them get back on their feet and recover from the darkest time our industry has had to face.

“Learn their names, treat them with kindness, and please, please, be generous with your tips. Now more than ever. They have never been more relied upon to help your servers not just earn a wage, but make a comfortable living.

“Coming out of this tumultuous time, when we get to hopefully meet our friends again in public over dinner or drinks, they will be there yet again at the forefront of your experiences to serve you. To make sure that every sip and bite will help you to forget the past year and look forward to the next ones.