Toulouse. He cannot install a terrace on Place du Capitole, this restaurateur denounces an injustice
By Lucie Fraisse
Published on
Covid terraces had been allowed to Toulousein the summer of 2020, in order to compensate for the losses of professionals, after the confinements and curfews linked to the health situation.
End of covid terraces, but temporary extensions
The system ended in the spring of 2022: 248 extensions out of the 423 exceptionally authorized had closed on April 1. At that time, just over 170 establishments selected by the municipality had been able to submit a file to request an extension of their terrace until October 31, 2022.
70 had done so, the municipal teams were then based on three criteria to grant or not this temporary extension: the repayment of the loan guaranteed by the State (PGE), the turnover and the payroll.
No terrace for this restaurant
Capitol Square, Raffaele Targusi, the boss of Forno Gusto had, when they entered into force, obtained a covid authorization to install his own. But it was repealed several months ago. He therefore had to remove the tables he had installed a few meters from the entrance to the theater. And the pill is hard to pass.
“We had bought furniture on purpose, we could install 80 place settings… And then nothing, although we made several requests, we did not have any real explanations”, he believes.
On Place du Capitole, the Forno Gusto is the only restaurant whose covid terrace has not been renewed. An injustice to his boss.
For the town hall, the rules are clear
On the side of the town hall, Christophe Alvès, delegate municipal councilor in charge of the occupation of the public domain details: “This establishment which benefited from a Covid terrace has been the subject of a repeal for non-compliance with his authorization order. “And the community has set strict rules: establishments which have had their “Covid” authorization removed, at the time when it was in force, cannot request its renewal. In this context, there is no question for the Forno Gusto to benefit from a terrace for this summer.
Loss of turnover
“We were criticized for not respecting the boundaries, grumbles Raffaele Targusi. I see colleagues who show up every day, and they always have their terrace. Please note, I’m not attacking the town hall, but I find it surprising, they don’t want to talk to us. Fortunately, customers love our products and they keep coming, even inside. But I think it’s unfair everyone on their terrace on Place du Capitole and not us and that results in a loss of turnover. »
The Forno Gusto group -which has several restaurants in the Pink City and in other cities in France- employs 150 people in Toulouse. “Forno Gusto was born here seven years ago,” says Raffaele Targusi. We are very successful in other cities, we have just opened a restaurant in Cannes, we had no problems. I don’t understand Toulouse’s reaction. »
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