Melbourne cafe owner breaks down during interview

A Melbourne cafe owner has held back tears during a live interview while talking about the impacts of the city’s continued lockdown.

Melbourne cafe owner Adrian Rigotto

A Melbourne cafe owner has held back tears during a live interview while talking about the impacts of the city’s continued lockdown.

Adrian Rigotto, owner of Match & Co Cafe, became emotional on Nine’s Today this morning after being asked about the premier’s decision not to ease restrictions yesterday.

“It’s been very tough for us all here. And not on here in Melbourne but all over Victoria. You know, we don’t feel there is any confidence in the government, his contact tracing, everything is breaking down,” Mr Rigotto said.

“Obviously we don’t want to go back into where we were, but look, at the end of the day are we protecting the minority, are we aren’t protecting the majority.”

Mr Rigotto’s cafe had been closed for about nine months now and employs about 25 full-time staff and multiple casual workers.

He told the show he has “got nothing left”.

Melbourne cafe owner Adrian Rigotto

“You don’t understand. I’m only a small little fish, imagine these big companies who have got shops everywhere, you know, chains. Retail. There is nothing,” he said.

“You know, people think, oh lift the restrictions and it’s going to happen. You know, we are all going to go shopping. There is nothing. There is no money. People don’t have anything. This is the reality.”

Mr Rigotto said the current approach by the government isn’t working, adding that he had been brought to his knees by the restrictions.

“Here in Melbourne, on Friday, we had a public holiday. For a football game. That we didn’t even have. We had a public holiday. I open, I had to pay all my staff, their penalty rates,” he said.

“We are already on our knees. On Tuesday we have another public holiday. For a horse race that no-one can attend. Where do you stop?”