The problem with wearing a mask, if you wear glasses, is they steam up. When you take your mask off to see the light at the end of the tunnel, you realise it’s a fast moving train coming straight for you!
Cari, our manager at TSC said that was how she was feeling after we were building up momentum and then the Government’s “Rule of 6” got the phones ringing, for all the wrong reasons.
My energy at the beginning of last week was positive. It was optimistic. I’d even started a better eating routine. Gone was the plate of pasta at 11pm and half a bar (half a pound bar) of chocolate and a cup of tea at midnight. I could see a little light and for the first time since March I actually felt like I could breath. But this latest challenge was one I wasn’t expecting or I’d hoped we wouldn’t have to face.
I look at you when you are dining. Who would have known that three households was the magic number for socialising?
Granny from Peebles with daughter from Edinburgh and granddaughter from Glasgow. Three girl friends, all ages from 20 to 70, having a catch up. The surveyor, the architect and the client having lunch. Three couples, long life friends, out for dinner.
Who ever said two’s company and three’s a crowd clearly never ran a restaurant!
With Boris’s announcement on Tuesday, I knew the same news would be coming north of the border. To the lovely ladies on table 9 having Afternoon Tea at The Scottish Cafe, I’m sorry that I started to cry, another problem of wearing a mask is all your emotions are visible through your eyes.
At times the journey we are on feels overwhelming. One problem is solved and then an entirely different one presents itself. This carrot (Eat Out to Help Out) and stick (no music, no fun, no threes) stimulus that the hospitality sector is being faced with makes us feel like the naughty children. Very few sectors are having to adjust as drastically as we’re being asked to. It’s tough.
When anyone asks how I’m doing my answer is “We’re here, we’re open and we’re well!”. That’s good news. But we all love to plan to make arrangements and to have occasions to look forward to. The world we are in at the moment is making even the smallest choices seem impossible. We are still not releasing our Christmas bookings until we can see a few fairy lights twinkling away, so please bear with us.
We’re on the front line and I can see how some larger groups of 8 have been difficult to manage. A few glasses of wine and when you’re relaxed it’s easy to forget the world is different.
But two households will affect many in very different ways. Some people just need that third person to break the ice, to make the group gel, to bring a little balance.
If we can only have two households either at home or anywhere else, I will accept this.
When Carla and Orlando come back during the October holidays does that mean one of them will have to sleep in the polytunnel? It’s all too confusing.
If this dose of medicine works and we don’t need another full lockdown then we’ll think of it as a spoonful of sugar.
As Bruce Forsyth, the restaurateur once said, “keep booking” we’re here to look after you.
Our classy glassy scenes have been finished at The Scottish Cafe and George Street; enhanced ventilation in both venues; socially distanced dining; team trained and retrained on best Covid-19 practices.
We are confident we are able to look after your health, wellbeing and that of our team, our suppliers and our family. We’re also confident we can bring a little fun, happiness and some great food so we look forward to looking after you all.
Keep well, keep safe and keep booking!
Carina
