Restaurant Workers: How Has the Coronavirus Outbreak Affected You?

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has affected every aspect of public and private life, all over the world. In London, the restaurant and hospitality industry has been impacted in massive and unprecedented ways. Restaurants have closed, staff have lost their jobs, suppliers are faced with a surplus, and former patrons are clutching at the best available delivery options across the city, if not attempting to recreate and approximate restaurant dishes at home.

People who work in restaurants, in the hospitality industry, and food service more generally, are — and of course always have been — key workers. In normal times, they are responsible for one of the key bonds of social interaction in a functioning and dynamic public sphere. Now, those still working, are learning how to function in a city that is in lockdown, for an unknown period, with new social distancing measures limiting their ability to provide their service.

For many, they do not have work, some temporarily laid-off, others completely in the dark; staff and business owners aren’t able to access the support they’ve been promised; suppliers are seeking new routes to market. There will be myriad experiences from thousands of staff across the industry and we want to tell those stories. How has this experience affected you: Have you been supported? What more do you need? What happens next? You can share your story with us by filling in the form below.