Redcliffe Pde business owners suffer big hit due to COVID-19 pandemic
The bustling Redcliffe foreshore is now a “ghost town” with business owners in “survival mode” – some have closed, takings are down and staff have been let go – this is how COVID-19 has impacted business on Redcliffe Pde.
Moreton
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Several business have closed, takings are down by more than 50 per cent and many staff left without jobs – but Redcliffe Pde business owners are confident they can pull through the COVID-19 crisis due to the high level of support shown by residents.
Restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 means restaurants and cafes are restricted to offering only takeaway food.
As a result Cactus Jacks Redcliffe, La Laterna and The Ambassador of Redcliffe have all closed until further notice.
But it is not just hospitality businesses that have been affected.
Here is how business owners on Redcliffe Pde are coping during COVID-19:
Cafe Diversity - recently reopened
Owner Kris de Silva recently reopened the foreshore cafe, after closing for a number of weeks.
Mr de Silva said times were tough and the biggest challenge had been finding a way to adapt to a takeaway model.
“We were a cafe that didn’t do takeaway at all, we served eggs benedict, food not suitable for takeaways,” Mr de Silva said.
“We are a cafe with a view, people would come and sit and have coffee and cake and a chat and look out to Moreton Island, we don't have that with a takeaway model.”
Mr de Silva said they had reopened doing takeaway coffee and items from the cabinets such as croissants.
He said they were in the middle of designing a takeaway menu which would include box packs with meats and cheeses as well as prepacked meals such as curries and pastas.
Mr de Silva said it was very difficult to predict how busy they would be on each day of the week.
“We are throwing out a lot of food that doesn’t get used. It is a juggling act, so we are making smaller quantities,” he said.
He has had to let a number of staff go.
“They understand the situation but were still devastated,” Mr de Silva said.
With the help of the Federal Government’s JobKeeper program he has been able to keep eight staff on.
“Everyone is on the same boat, we can’t afford to close,” he said.
Mr de Silva thanked the customers who were continuing to support the business “it is enough to keep us from drowning”.
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What’s Your Team - closed for the rest of the year
Louis Murray has operated the What’s Your Team, NRL apparel shop at Redcliffe Pde, for 14 years.
Mr Murray said the COVID-19 restrictions and the cancellation of the NRL season had combined to have a large impact on his business.
With no games and no fans allowed to attend he has had to close his store at Suncorp Stadium for the rest of the year.
“Luckily we made the move to online a number of years ago so we have a good online following,” Mr Murray said.
“The shop is quiet though, I might get up to five customers a day.”
Mr Murray has been able to keep his staff on but has had to shorten the store’s hours to 10am-2pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
“It is just a ghost town after 2pm,” Mr Murray said.
What’s Your Team is offering click and collect and can deliver around Australia.
“We would normally have 10 times the number of online orders we are getting,” Mr Murray said.
“My working year is March to October, this is just like having an off-season that doesn’t end.”
He hopes business might pick up if the NRL season does resume later this year.
And like many other Peninsula business owners Mr Murray said he was amazed at the way the community had supported him.
“I’ve had people who didn’t even need anything come in and buy a jersey or a shirt saying they just wanted to give me some money,” Mr Murray said.
GALLERY: REDCLIFFE DESERTED DURING COVID-19
Yabbey Road Fish N Chips - open and doing takeaway
Voted as one of the best fish and chip shops in greater Brisbane Yabbey Road owners Alan and Kathy Bray are used to being kept busy.
Mr Bray said takings were certainly down on normal, especially over Easter, but said they were still getting by.
“We are not as busy but are doing okay, we can still pay the bills,” Mr Bray said.
“Kathy and I have reduced the number of hours we spend in the store but we have kept every one on.”
He said a big contributor to the decrease in orders was the loss of weekend day trippers.
Mr Bray said they planned to keep pushing on.
“There is nothing we can do about, we just have to do what we have got to do,” he said.
Mrs Bray thanked all the locals for their support.
“If they keep coming we will stay open,” she said.
Rustic Olive - takeaway menu expanded
Sam Ayache has run the Rustic Olive, a popular Italian restaurant, at Redcliffe for 13 years.
He had always offered a takeaway menu but he has now expanded it to include the dine-in menu and launched a home delivery service.
“Takings are down 55 per cent,” Mr Ayache said.
He said he had had to let go a number of staff.
“I used to have 45, I know have 25 staff members,” he said.
Mr Ayache said the community support had been “outstanding”.
“They are so appreciative of us staying open and the staff, it gives us all a buzz when we hear things like that,” he said.
“We are doing enough to stay afloat, it is not about making money. We are in survival mode, it is about making sure our staff can get by.
“We just have to take it hour by hour.”
Mr Ayache said Redcliffe Pde was a like a “ghost town”.
“Some businesses are closing down some have clearance signs on their windows.”
Mr Ayache said Redcliffe was in this crisis together and that with community support businesses would bounce back.
“We just need to keep our heads up and take it one day at a time,” he said.
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