The Governments tone since changing their Covid-19 combat message headline on 10 May from ‘Stay at Home’ to ‘Stay Alert’ has been followed with both unclear and clear messaging that lockdown is being eased.
Unclear in as much as public gatherings around the UK this weekend are widespread, and clear from outright statements by the Government.
Everyone wants to return to ‘normal’ and see an end to the restrictions imposed through the Covid-19 lockdown.
Hospitality businesses and hospitality people largely want to reopen and restart cash flow through their businesses.
The balancing act for success in doing so, will be in the timing of actions.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has done a good job to date in balancing his decisions and his timing in taking them.
The hospitality industry across the UK has already paid, and will continue to pay, an extremely high price in combating Covid-19.
Juggling with the many decisions faced today by hospitality businesses to reopen are not only extremely complex, they could be critical.
Timing will be everything – collect data and use it
Many companies are doing extensive planning and preparation.
Recently in an interview with Ian Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Bartlett Mitchell he emphasised how widely the business is communicating with others and how valuable those communications are in gaining perspective around reopening.
We also recently published details of a survey looking at what foodservice clients want from foodservice providers in the workplace.
The human cost of hospitality closures to date has already been high, we will see a much reduced hospitality industry emerge with much a reduced headcount.
The economic cost to all those still able to reopen is significant and public confidence in the Government’s measures to date ensures a much smaller hospitality marketplace to trade in when it reopens.
The recovery will be fragile and as such businesses need to ensure they react to a reopened market by reopening at the right time.
Some hospitality businesses closed prior to the lockdown and official guidance from the Government to do so – D&D London announced immediate temporary closure of all UK restaurants.
Being ahead of the game will have saved companies like these much money. Closing carefully in a considered way and in advance of being forced to close, allowed plans to be made and executed precisely to budgeted analysis.
Some hospitality businesses resisted closing to the very last minute, and then protested about it.
The last out we suspect will also be hungriest to be first back in.
Opening on a false start, or as soon as possible, and possibly with one eye closed to public opinion, may see the false start being the last for some.
Timing will be everything – follow the people with the money
One of the US’s most successful restauranteurs in recent decades is Danny Meyer. His cautious COVID-19 tones to date have been rewarded by investors including hedge funds. People with money and who trade on getting the big decisions right.
Covid-19 has been underestimated by many Governments around the world. The UK having the second highest death toll in the world would certainly seem to have underestimated it.
Hospitality business will have one opportunity to take their place back on the starting line. It may be wise to let some front runners set the pace and learn from them. Whilst unambitious and not market leading as a strategy, survival is the objective.
So, if you are thinking about dipping your toes into untested waters, our suggestion is, it may prove wise to let others, eager to do so, go first.
Lessons will be learned, they could be costly ones, and some may not be able to afford them.
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