Wednesday 25 September 2019

It's The Perfect Excuse!

Bus Stop, a Barbadian restaurant in North Road, Brighton, has closed its doors and called in the liquidators after suffering months of uncertainty as the country prepares to leave the EU.
Owners Danny O’Shea and Dominique Osoria said customers became wary of spending money on nights out with the looming split fuelling ongoing questions over the country’s financial stability.
Funny, looking around I can see plenty of restaurants still in business. Why aren't they similarly affected?

Were these owners people with a solid business plan and a good knowledge of the market?
Dominique and Danny ran restaurants in Barbados for more than 20 years before starting Bus Stop in Brighton.
Ah. Well, Brighton isn't quite Barbados yet.
They said Brighton and Hove businesses faced a number of challenges including high rents and rates, combined with high parking and train prices deterring customers from making the journey into the city.
All things that have been around a hell of a lot longer than Brexit. And so could have been factored in.
“The city council is always talking about how great it is to have all these independent businesses but when you work in the Lanes and North Laine and see how many are regularly changing hands it shows just how hard it is.
“The council wants these businesses but they need to do more to help them.
Deliveroo is also having a big impact. They are great for the big chains, but for small businesses it makes it almost impossible to compete.
“We invested a lot into the business and have ended up having to go into liquidation.
“There wasn’t an easy way out.”
Some might say you're just looking to find an excuse...

7 comments:

Rob said...

“The council wants these businesses but they need to do more to help them.”

The council wants these businesses so they can seize as much of their turnover as they possibly can.

Bucko said...

My local independent takeaway has countless Deliveroo drivers going in and out whenever I wait for my kebab. Maybe some people can't move with the times

Anonymous said...

Bus Stop, eh? You wait ages for one Barbadian Restaurant to come along, and oo er, no Barbadian Restaurants - blimey!

Just Trevor said...

I'm shocked the place isn't packed to the gills, given the stellar customer service for which caribbean businesses are renowned.

Tom Mein said...

You live and work in Barbados for 20 years then you suddenly think, "Ooh I know, let's set up a restaurant in Brighton". Really?

Andy said...

Chicago isn't quite Baltimore, yet. Baltimore is almost Detroit. Brighton isn't quite Barbados. Getting there though.

"There's no easy way out". There was probably an easy way in.

JuliaM said...

"The council wants these businesses so they can seize as much of their turnover as they possibly can."

Yup! It's why Southend's Victoria Centre has never been more than 1/3 full since it opened. THe idiots are too greedy to lower the rates...

"Maybe some people can't move with the times"

Spot on!

"Bus Stop, eh? You wait ages for one Barbadian Restaurant to come along, and oo er, no Barbadian Restaurants - blimey!"

LOL!

"You live and work in Barbados for 20 years then you suddenly think, "Ooh I know, let's set up a restaurant in Brighton". Really?"

It is a very peculiar business choice, isn't it?

" There was probably an easy way in."

Indeed!