A lack of bakers means the popular Te Mata Bakehouse is closed indefinitely, although its wholesale arm, Top Up Pies, is still open. Photo / Paul Taylor.
A lack of bakers means the popular Te Mata Bakehouse is closed indefinitely, although its wholesale arm, Top Up Pies, is still open. Photo / Paul Taylor.
Spare a thought for those in the Hawke’s Bay hospitality and catering industries.
Staff shortages - some of which are related to Covid-19 - and no-shows by booked customers at restaurants are causing some businesses to close either temporarily or indefinitely, while those that remain open count the cost ofabsent diners.
Hastings’ Long Island Delicatessen is among those eateries not open for business due to staff illnesses, while it might be next year until the Te Mata Bakehouse in Havelock North is serving customers again.
Then there are places such as Jarks Restaurant & Bar, in Hastings, where as many as 50 diners a night fail to turn up for their booking.
Hawke’s Bay had 1068 new Covid-19 cases over the past week, although Jarks Restaurant & Bar manager Marianne Poszeluk believes that isn’t why patrons aren’t honouring bookings.
For Poszeluk, “this year is the worst’’ after 16 years in the industry.
“Other industry people have said exactly the same, but smaller outlets are finding it even more difficult.
Jarks owner Marianne Poszeluk says no-shows are hurting the hospitality industry. Photo / Paul Taylor.
Twenty no-shows at Jarks, which seats 200, is a nuisance but not an absolute disaster. But 20 booked - but absent diners - in a restaurant with a capacity of only 50 hurts in a huge way, she said.
Especially when you have staffed yourself to match the bookings you’ve received.
On Thursday for instance, Jarks had 200 booked for dinner - on top of the walk-ins they try to accommodate as well - and 152 of those turned up. That’s a loss in expected earnings of between $1500 and $2000.
“From everyone in hospo, just have the respect to let us know. Even if they ring us two hours before they’re due to arrive, we can at least free that table up,’’ said Poszeluk.
While it’s frustrating that booked diners don’t alert either the booking organiser or the restaurant itself that they won’t be coming, at least outfits such as Jarks are open.
The same can’t be said for the usually bustling Te Mata Bakehouse.
“It definitely wasn’t an easy decision but something had to give,’’ Karen Douglas of the Te Mata Bakehouse said of indefinitely closing the doors.
“We’re short of bakers. It’s about four that we need.’’
Douglas felt Covid was a contributor, in terms of people getting out of the hospitality industry since the first Covid outbreak.
Te Mata Bakehouse is still able to operate the wholesale side of its business - Top Up Pies - but there’s no date set for when the retail part will reopen.
For the Long Island Delicatessen, Monday is the mooted day to welcome back customers after illnesses meant it didn’t have enough staff to keep the doors open this week.
