Hastings seafront restaurant to close for two months ‘to help stop spread of Covid’

Nazar Restaurant in Claremont, Hastings town centre, has put a notice in its window telling customers it will be “closed throughout January and February 2022 to help stop the spread of Covid-19 and to protect the NHS.”

The family-run business specialises in barbecue dishes and casseroles, like adana (minced lamb blended with herbs, shaped around a skewer, then grilled over charcoal) and saksuka (a traditional Turkish side dish made with aubergines, courgettes, garlic, tomatoes and chilli).

Last month, pubs and restaurants in Hastings said the Government’s Covid Plan B measures would cost them an average of around £10,000 each in lost takings over the Christmas period.

The snap survey in Hastings - carried out by business support group Love Hastings - was triggered by a call from the UK Hospitality trade association to ask the Government to introduce fresh financial support for the sector to avoid further job losses and business closures.

Covid Plan B: Hastings pubs and restaurants each face £10,000 in lost takings over Christmas

Around half of the Hastings businesses that took part said they were already looking at takings being down significantly on pre-Covid numbers. Almost a third had been predicting 25 to 50% decreases in sales, with one in six projecting over 50% of trade being lost.

And after Plan B was put in place last month, many businesses were already reporting signs from customers that things would get even worse. Over a half expected the impact would result in an additional loss of no less than 25% - and in a significant number of cases over 50%.