Parisi’s restaurant, Hyde Park, owner reacts to Adelaide COVID-19 lockdown restrictions

A Hyde Park restaurant owner says she feels like small businesses are “free falling” has they face tough lockdown restrictions on trade and takeaway.

A Hyde Park business owner has likened new lockdown restrictions to small businesses being asked to jump off cliffs, but not knowing whether there will be a net there to catch them.

Parisi’s restaurant owner Simone Ellery said the 15-year-old King William Road establishment will have thousands of dollars worth of produce go down the drain, following the State Government’s six-day lockdown announcement.

From midnight Wednesday, pubs, restaurants, cafes, and food courts will be forced to shut their doors and will not be able to provide takeaway food.

Owner of Parisi’s restaurant, Simone Ellery and casual employee, Olivia Ottens. Picture: Lucy Rutherford

Ms Ellery said her restaurant only received a stock shipment on Wednesday.

“I feel like I’m burning money again that I don’t have to burn,” she said.

“It’s sweet and sour. I’m happy for the state to be vigilant and do what we have to do to keep everyone safe but on the flip side I kind of feel like I’m free falling.”

Ms Ellery, who owns the restaurant with her brother Antoni and sister Chantal, said the worst part of the new lockdown restrictions was the unknown.

“I understand this is only six days, but is it?” she said.

“We’re asked to jump off cliffs right now but we’re not sure if there’s going to be a net there tomorrow.

“I feel that they are asking small businesses to do a big leap again.”

Ms Ellery said after dealing with eight months of roadworks on King William Road and the first wave of COVID-19, Hyde Park businesses they were finally getting back on their feet.

Scores of shoppers extended out the door at Woolworths Unley on Wednesday afternoon. Picture: Lucy Rutherford

“There’s a lot of expectations on small businesses,” she said.

“All we keep doing is climbing and climbing out of the dark hole.

“And here we all are, we just got out and saw a little bit of light and someone’s just pushed us back down again.”

Now, Ms Ellery and her siblings, as well as 25 staff members at their restaurant will be out of work for the next six days or longer.

“This is extreme without a doubt and none of us expected extreme,” Ms Ellery said.