Gordon Ramsay has revealed he had to cancel over 22,000 bookings for his restaurants in December before England was plunged into its third lockdown.
The chef, 54, who owns 35 restaurants across the UK, said the effect Covid has had on the hospitality industry is ‘devastating,’ but he remains optimistic his business could re-open by Easter.
Speaking on The Graham Norton Show Gordon said he’s planning to open up even more restaurants when lockdown is eased, following reports the government plan to allow pubs and restaurants to re-open in May.
Shocking: Gordon Ramsay has revealed he had to cancel over 22,000 bookings for his restaurants in December before England was plunged into its third lockdown
Gordon admitted that thousands of bookings across his business were removed when Tier 3 restrictions in December forced many restaurants to close just weeks after re-opening following the second lockdown.
Weeks later the government placed the entire country in lockdown, with not set date as to when pubs and restaurants can re-open.
He told Graham: ‘It’s devastating. When you think about breaking bread and having fun with friends and family, it’s just tragic not to have that.’
Shocking: The chef said the effect Covid has had on the hospitality industry is ‘devastating,’ but he remains optimistic his businesses could re-open by Easter
The Hell’s Kitchen star added: ‘When we reopened last July, the atmosphere was monumental and electrifying, we didn’t even need music, so to be shut backdown was tough.
‘In December, our most important month, we cancelled 22 and a half thousand reservations, but I have always been optimistic.
‘It is tough but we will come out of this – we’ve re-created, re-developed and researched new ideas so when we come out of this lockdown we will open up as new restaurants. We are hoping we will re-open at Easter. It would be a dream.’
Gordon also spoke to Graham about his new BBC quiz show Bank Balance, revealing the series was developed during the last lockdown.
Tough: Gordon owns 35 restaurants across the UK, as the hospitality industry is one of the hardest hit by the pandemic (Heddon Street Kitchen is pictured in London)
He said: ‘It was developed via Zoom during lockdown this time last year, with the team spread out all over the country – I was in Cornwall with my beloved neighbours – and we got this high-pressured game to an amazing place.
‘The set is really spectacular and intimidating and then you’ve got me asking the questions! It’s really exciting.’
The hospitality industry is one of those hardest hit by the pandemic, with many restaurants closed for most of 2020 due ever-changing restrictions, and thousands of staff furloughed or even left unemployed due to the impact on businesses.
Despite re-opening in July, with strict social distancing measures and the introduction of the rule of six, the government’s tier measures introduced in October forced many to close once again.
Upsetting: He admitted that thousands of bookings across his business were removed when Tier restrictions in December forced many restaurants to close yet again
In November the entire country was placed in another lockdown, forcing all hospitality business to switch to takeaway or delivery only, and some were open for just days in December before being ordered to close once again.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, told Radio 4’s The World At One that if the reopening of the sector was delayed until May, 3.2million could lose their jobs.
Just one in five hospitality businesses are confident that they will have enough cash to get through beyond March,’ she said. ‘There is no way that businesses will be able to survive until May with no revenues coming in for seven months.
‘It’s a cash burn of half a billion pounds to keep the sector closed each and every month. If we are forced to wait for a longer period then unfortunately there will be little left of the hospitality sector and the 3.2million people who work in it to reopen at that point in May.’
She said she hoped that with the vaccination programme under way, there would be a ‘pathway’ to the lifting of restrictions.
‘Otherwise I think you’ve got a danger that you have an impact on peoples’ mental health and well-being and also their economic health and well-being,’ she said.
While the government is expected to announce its roadmap out of lockdown on Monday, it’s though that means traders will have to wait until at least Easter – early April – for a limited restart.
Pubs, bars and restaurants will have to wait until early May under the plans, with a maximum of two households allowed to sit together indoors and the rule of six applying outside.
The next stage, in early June, would see the rules for pubs and restaurants relaxed with the rule of six extended indoors.
The hospitality and domestic holiday industries could be allowed to return to normal in July – with social distancing.
Joining Gordon on Graham Norton was Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville, who blamed the chef for unknowingly teaching his son some colourful language.
He said: ‘He was obsessed with your programmes and when he was a bit younger, he would be in the back of the car shouting things like ”Raw, f**king bass” and ”Raw, stone-cold langoustine.”
‘Out of the mouths of babes. I have lived with these phrases for years and I am very grateful to you!’
During the show Graham will also welcome actress Rosamund Pike, Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas, comedian and presenter Judi Love, and singers Ella Henderson and Tom Grennan.
The Graham Norton Show airs on BBC One on Friday 19th February at 10:45pm. The series is also available on BBC iPlayer.
Coming soon: Gordon also spoke about his new BBC quiz show Bank Balance, revealing the series was developed during the last lockdown