Philippe Etchebest, on December 6, 2019, in his Bordeaux brasserie, Le Quatrième Mur.

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Mickaël Bosredon / 20 Minutes

  • Philippe Etchebest says he understands Marseille restaurateurs who refuse to close their establishments.

  • He does not find normal the latest government decisions taken, which restrict the openings of certain restaurants.

  • He is also worried about a possible increase in the number of failures of establishments in the profession.

From Bordeaux, it is a particularly recovered Philippe Etchebest that interviewed Friday

20 Minutes

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The media chef, who runs the Le Quatrième Mur brasserie and the starred restaurant La Table d'Hôtes, reviews the new health measures announced Wednesday and Thursday by the government, and takes stock of the situation of restaurateurs.

What do you think of these Marseille restaurateurs who demonstrated on Friday, and refuse to close their establishments?

This is new!

Have you often seen restaurateurs take to the streets?

Our profession, it never manifests.

If we come to this, it is because it is serious.

So, it's not my talk to disobey, I tend to play by the rules, but I understand their fed up, I can't blame them.

We all did what we had to do to protect our clients and allow us to work, and there, we stigmatize our profession, we are singled out.

We are not dangerous, and it is certainly no more dangerous to come and eat in our establishments than to have family meals!

So why are we penalized?

It is not normal.

How is the situation of restaurateurs since confinement?

It was very hard, but the summer season was finally pretty good, not for everyone, be careful.

But that will never make up for the two and a half months of closure.

In Bordeaux, hotels are going to close, and the turnover of restaurants in September is up to 50%, it is not terrible, and it will not improve.

Are you experiencing difficulties within your own restaurant in Bordeaux?

I made -28% in June.

I didn't have a terrace and had to reduce the number of my tables inside by 30%, so it's mathematical.

This summer, I had a terrace, so I was able to compensate for the shortfall, but we can no longer make people eat outside in this weather.

And if I don't find a solution, that will mean 30% fewer employees ...

According to you, we are still on a trend of around 30 to 40% of establishments that could go out of business?

Yes, because the reimbursement of deferred charges will soon arrive, and the fixed costs continue.

I had said that we were going towards 30% bankruptcy and 250,000 additional unemployed, there were 140,000 more unemployed in the sector in the first half of the year, so this is the trend.

And it may happen faster than you think.

Are there any support measures that are offered to professionals in difficulty?

What are load deferrals, loans?

We'll have to pay him for all that.

As for the support fund, not everyone receives it, you have to get into the boxes.

Now, it is up to our unions to raise our demands, because here we are drowning, and we are thrusting our heads under water.

But isn't there still a problem with some establishments that do not play the game of health rules, which ultimately falls on everyone?

There is a disciplinary problem, we agree, but everyone's, not just restaurateurs.

There are a handful of professionals who do not enforce barrier gestures, they must be penalized.

But it's a minority and not everyone has to pay for these!

Do you think that there are not enough controls in the establishments?

It is obvious that there is not enough.

Have you seen this summer on the basin and on the coast?

It was the fair in neuneu!

It was rubbish, with bars replacing nightclubs.

Can you imagine, you are the owner of a nightclub, you have been closed since March 14 until further notice, and next to that there are guys who dance in bars all summer?

There is something to fart a cable, it is not normal.

And today we are suffering the consequences of what happened this summer.

Here.

What is your fault with government measures, that they are too general, that they are taken without consultation?

I am not blaming the government for taking action.

But he's not taking the right ones, that's all.

With us, it is framed, which is not the case in trains, urban transport, supermarkets, schools, school canteens ... Are we going to close school canteens?

In Bordeaux, for the moment the restaurants are spared, but the bars will have to close at 10 p.m., what do you think of this measure?

Those who want to party anyway will go out next door, that's obvious.

Not all bars are party bars, some serve seated drinks, enforce barrier gestures, why are they being prevented from working?

We cannot put everyone in the same basket.

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