As lockdown restrictions ease in parts of Australia, high-profile restaurateurs and chefs suggest it is not viable to reopen their businesses
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Six months ago, business was booming at Citrus in Melbourne’s Fitzroy North. Lines of locals waiting for $15 all-you-can-eat Sri Lankan rice and curries threaded out the door. Now the buffet is gone, the team of 12 has telescoped to four, and takeaway is barely covering running costs. “As long as we get a lot of customers, that’s how we make a profit,” says Ravindu Somaweera, who co-owns the restaurant with his parents.
Citrus is just one of thousands of restaurants, from family-run buffets to empire-backed fine diners, that will continue to struggle as Australia’s Covid-19 lockdown eases under the federal government’s three-step economic recovery plan.
Related: Australian restaurants and cafes present plans to come out of coronavirus shutdown
The RCA’s recommended measures:
• 1.5-metre distance between tables.
Related: Lithuanian capital to be turned into vast open-air cafe
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