A reprieve until October 31 for certain “Covid terraces” in Toulouse
The “covid terraces” once again extended, extensions authorized during the health crisis. There were more than 400 in Toulouse, a good part of these terraces were removed on April 1st-because they were on delivery sites or generated too much nuisance-but 175 of them are still in place. Terraces of the hyper-center, place du Capitole or place Saint-Georges could finally remain until October 31, announced the town hall of Toulouse.
File to be submitted until May 6 at the town hall
Restaurateurs and café owners claim that their establishments, already weakened by the Covid, would be harmed if they had allowed their terraces to be reduced to their initial dimensions. Some have not finished repaying their state-guaranteed loan or have anticipated by hiring additional staff. The town hall has therefore decided to set up a device to decide and say who will be able to keep their “covid terrace”.
Christophe Alves is deputy mayor of Toulouse, in charge in particular of the occupation of the public domain, he explains that “All operators will receive a letter to fill out an online form if they want to keep their terrace extension. Depending on the balance sheet, the payroll, a commission will meet in mid-May with the trade unions to study the files and allow an extension of terraces or not until October 31. The town hall promises that on October 31, the extension of the terraces will no longer be possible.
“That’s very good news”
The representatives of the national group of independents salute “kindness” of town hall. “These terraces on the public domain, which we were loaned, we use them to compensate for our losses when restaurants are closed during the health crisis“, recalls Benjamin Serra, restaurateur from Toulouse and member of the national group of independents.
It is rather very good news, at a time when we have to start repaying the PGEs, the loans guaranteed by the State, while the prices of raw materials are rising – gas, electricity, oil. And since April 1, wages in the profession have increased by 10 to 24%, it’s a good thing for employees but it’s also an additional burden, while our restaurants are not full. -Benjamin Serra