Fears for future of Peterborough restaurant ahead of Tier 3 restrictions

Peterborough comes under Tier 3 restriction from Saturday, meaning restaurants can only operate on a delivery and takeaway basis.

While that has worked for many during the troubled year for hospitality, for Paul Sharma at 2020 World Buffet in New Road, it just isn’t feasible.

And he said it could spell the end for the £750,000 multi-cuisine restaurant which only opened in March - days prior to the first coronavirus lockdown.

“It’s a huge blow,” said Paul, who reopened at the end of July and again at the beginning of December - and was planning on opening on Christmas Day.

“We will have to shut it down again as our weekly running costs are at least £25k and with takeaways we hardly make £1k a week at the moment.

“We have received £3000 in total as a government help since the beginning of this pandemic and the continuing lockdowns like this we will now have to decide whether to shut it down permanently.

“The future looks very grim for us.”

City centre neighbour Prem Devkota, at Broadway’s Gurkha Durbaar, said the move placed the business in a very difficult situation as bookings had really taken off in the run up to Christmas.

“It is very unfortunate that this keeps happening,” he said. “It makes life very difficult for us, what do we do for the best, how do we plan? At the moment we will go back to takeaways and deliveries.”

Rinaldo Fasulo, owner of The Pizza House, in Cowgate, said the stop-start situation was “a mess”.

He said: “We close again next week, then we could open again in January, what a mess, stop-start-stop-start.

“Back to takeaways it is then.”

Rony Choudhury said his Bombay Brasserie restaurant in Broadway would resort to takeaways and deliveries from Saturday.

And Krishna Kris at Gurkha Lounge in Hampton Vale said he was also getting set for takeaways once more after Friday night’s service - and then until further notice..

The Lightbox cafe in Bridge Street will be open until 4pm tomorrow, then closed until further notice.

On its facebook page today it said: “We are debating opening for Take Away only and will update you if we do decide to do this. We will be contacting everyone that has placed an order for collection before Christmas to make arrangements to get your goodies to you!

“We wish all of our wonderful customers a very happy and healthy Christmas, New Year and 2021 - we really wouldn’t still be here without your amazing support. With love from everyone at The Lightbox x”

The recently crowned Good Pub Guide Pub of the Year The Olive Branch in Rutland tweeted: “Whole swathes of cancellations coming in following tier review today come on @BorisJohnson @RishiSunak hospitality needs massive financial support NOW...”