Celebrity chef Yotam Ottolenghi today warned of “tremendous” damage to the restaurant industry unless the Government takes urgent action to let owners defer paying rent.
The TV presenter, writer and restaurateur, who has six London outlets, said the rent bill was “the biggest worry” for most owners during lockdown — and many were being threatened with prosecution by landlords. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he called for a six-month “debt enforcement moratorium”.
Ottolenghi, 51, left, said ministers should call a “national time-out” on rent until December to help restaurants.
Landlords would be entitled to government compensation. He said if the sector disappeared “because we don’t have the foresight to get landlords and tenants to work together, everybody will suffer”. The call was echoed by Des Gunewardena, chief executive of fine dining group D&D London.
