A chef has warned restaurants are going to ‘crumble’ under new coronavirus rules without assistance after revealing one of his restaurants was met with more than 650 recent cancellations.
Michelin-star chef Tom Kerridge, 48, runs six restaurants across London, Buckinghamshire and Manchester, including The Bull & Bear on Norfolk Street.
Posting on Instagram, the chef asked 'what will the government do to support the hospitality industry' in response to a surge in cancellations following the latest guidelines.
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He revealed there had been 654 cancellations at one of his restaurants in the space of six days.
In addition, he shared a video showing printed out pages filled with 176 table cancellations.
He posted: “So, here we are…. This is the list of cancellations taken in one of our restaurants in the past six days…. 654 guests.
“I completely understand why and have no problem with them letting us know.
“Public health is THE most important thing. The problem is what will the government do to support the hospitality industry? Many places are going to crumble without help….”
Chef Kerridge, who recently launched a £10 Christmas dinner alongside Marcus Rashford, added: “This isn’t about me or my restaurants.
“It’s about our industry and people's livelihoods.”
The post comes after fellow chef Gary Usher, who operates six restaurants across the north west as Elite Bistros, said he had also been faced with hundreds of cancellations.
He said the government's Plan B restrictions were 'devastating' for the industry.
"I'm trying to think of positive things to say about getting through December but I don't have anything,” he said.
"On an absolute downer about this. Telling people to work from home has instantly ripped up Christmas reservations."
In response to a cancelled Christmas party booking, one restaurant also donate d the food to people in need instead of letting it going to waste.
