Yesterdays Government announcement that we are moving to level 2 and that we can reopen our Bistro (albeit in very controlled circumstances) left me in deep reflection.
It’s been 53 days, almost 2 months since we suddenly closed our doors with fridges full of food, a diary full of bookings, accommodation reservations and a multitude of weddings, functions and other special celebrations planned. We were running at full throttle and were stopped in our tracks overnight.
The adjustment was massive and in those first few weeks we experienced a rollercoaster of emotions similar to grief. The worries regarding lack of income that kept me awake at night were offset by feelings of gratitude during those beautiful Autumn days. Veggie gardens full of produce but an empty car park. During Level 4, uncertainty was our biggest challenge and we tried to take one day at a time and to focus on what was important to us in the here and now. We questioned if we would survive, would we reopen and what were our hopes for our business for the long term future.
In level 3 we learnt to go with the flow and it led us to reinvent ourselves supplying takeaways and gourmet produce boxes within a 2 week timeframe. We tried to think outside the box, took risks and asked our staff to follow us on this merry dance. They were redeployed as delivery drivers, packers, pickers, route planners as we managed to create and deliver over 100 Mothers day Platterboxes whist simultaneously serving takeaway pizzas.
So as we step into level 2, it is admittedly with trepidation. Where will the rollecoaster ride lead us and what does it mean for The Falls Retreat? Will customers return? How many people can we seat? Can we keep our staff and family safe as people return to our property? How can we create a sustainable future for ourselves, our team and business, one that provides that ever elusive work/life balance whilst retaining our values and passion for what we do.
Remember that Pre COVID19, this was an industry in crisis. There was a severe shortage of staff with those employed in hospitality working long, unsociable hours and with relatively low pay in comparison to other skilled trades. We were losing experienced, talented and passionate hospo professionals to other industries and failing to attract young, new recruits to replace them. Ever decreasing profit margins and over saturation of the market has meant that many hospitality businesses have not survived this storm and those remaining are racing to reopen to generate some much needed income. From Thursday, many hospitality businesses will be back in operation but I am left questioning whether we are returning to that same environment? Surely this is the time for changes to be initiated, for us to reassess this model and look at how we can create a better future.
This means we wont be reopening our doors just yet. We are taking the time to plan a new menu, re-evaluate The Falls Retreat experience, develop new business concepts and work on ensuring that our business is sustainable. We need to invest our time now so that we can create a long term future for us, our staff, our customers and our suppliers. In fact change management has been the name of the game, and having gone through these past 53 days, there is a realisation that we cannot and do not want to return to exactly what we were before. We want to take the time to see if we can do this better.
So please bear with us. Our values remain exactly the same, our passion for what we do has not be extinguished by this virus and we will be welcoming you with open arms very soon,…… obviously at a 2 metre distance for now