Coronavirus: Top restaurateur Chris Lucas pans ‘irresponsible’ shutdown

Chris Lucas says the “ill-timed and poorly executed” quarantine measures must come with a wages scheme for hospitality workers.

Chris Lucas, CEO and founder of Lucas Restaurants, at Chin Chin in Melbourne. Picture: David Geraghty

A leading restaurateur has accused the government of being “highly irresponsible” in the extreme measures limiting the industry to takeaway and delivery service, warning that thousands of young workers are about to lose their jobs.

The CEO and founder of Lucas Restaurants, Chris Lucas, who employs over 1000 staff, about 80 per cent of them under the age of 30, slammed the government’s move to shut-down all non-essential services, saying the move is “ill-timed and poorly executed”.

The stark warning comes as thousands of newly unemployed Australians — many from the hospitality sector — descended on Centrelink offices around the country on Monday to sign up for welfare as the government’s austere quarantine measures sent the economy into freefall.

The food industry is at a critical juncture, with major groups revealing the coronavirus crisis caused falls of up to 80 per cent in trade even before Prime Minister Scott Morrison limited them to serving takeaways and deliveries.

“The most distressing thing here is that we’ve been given no notice, which has led to widespread panic within our workforce and the community,” Mr Lucas said.

“I’m seriously concerned, I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime situation. I’ve never seen anything like it. My business has been dramatically impacted, but from what I gather we’re no different to anyone else.”

Mr Lucas’s venues, including Hawker Hall, Baby, Kong BBQ and GoGo Bar in Melbourne, and Chin Chin in Melbourne and Sydney, experienced a loss of between 50 per cent and 80 per cent within the space of 48 hours early last week.

Mr Lucas urged the federal government to protect the hundreds of thousands of people employed in the industry.

“I’m demanding they now put in place an urgent wage scheme similar to the one in the UK or there will be a breakdown of every element in our society,” he said.

He added: “You can’t just close everything down and expect it’s going to reopen.

“This irresponsible behaviour by the Victorian and NSW leaders is only adding to the damage to the community and our businesses are suffering.

“Despite their claims that they are acting in the public interest, it’s no excuse for them to rush to shut down our entire cities.”