Many restaurateurs, fearing January 18 of the repayment of part of the subsidies granted by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic, have raised the alarm in 2023. Now that the fateful date is no closer, they are starting to worry about being confirmed.
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“I didn’t pay my rent for December,” admits Martin Guimond, owner of the Saint-Bock craft brewery in the Latin Quarter.
“This is the first time in the 18 years of operation that I haven’t been able to pay my rent,” he added.
In an interview on LCN, the entrepreneur claims that the problems forcing Montreal restaurateurs to tighten their belts are diverse.
“Food prices have exploded, labor prices have exploded, which leads to very high operating costs, but rents are not going to go down,” he explains. .
The entrepreneur points out that many believe that restaurants buy their food at reduced prices, noting that “that is not the case.” We often buy our groceries at Costco, the same place as everyone else, so we pay the same price as everyone else.”
“Less 75% of income”
The owner says the current conditions under which he is trying to operate his business are “disastrous.”
“Before the 2019 pandemic, we were at less than 75% of income compared to today,” he informs. It’s huge!”
Mr. Guimond understands that people generally have less money in an inflationary context, and he recognizes that food and drink prices in restaurants are expensive.
“I find it expensive myself,” he admits.
The city of Montreal is exacerbating the problem
The businessman does not believe that restaurateurs are the only ones responsible and believes that certain measures taken by the city of Montreal are exacerbating the problem.
He criticizes two initiatives imposed by the Plante administration: the new regulations on parking meters, which now end at 11 p.m. in Ville-Marie, and the cycle paths that make transportation by car more difficult.
He likens this new parking meter pricing to “a tax on culture, restaurants and bars that drivers have to pay after 9 p.m.”
On the other hand, when it comes to cycle paths designed to attract more customers, the owner of the brasserie on Rue Saint-Denis nevertheless affirms that “that is not the case”.
According to Mr Guimond, 2024 will be very difficult for restaurateurs and he adds that unfortunately “we will lose a lot of players”.
***Watch Martin Guimond’s interview on Mario Dumont’s show in the video above***
Originally posted 2023-12-12 04:44:30.