In a candid column about his business's struggles after the Government announced it would be delaying the final stages in its 'Covid Reconnection Roadmap', he voiced his frustration over the “disgraceful way his industry has been thrown under the bus financially”, as well as the “inconsistencies” of the Government’s policies.

The announcement came in response to concerns about rising covid cases in Jersey – most of which are believed to be the more infectious Delta variant - and the number of people being caught in the contact tracing net.

Here's what he had to say...

“I want to throw the towel in, to walk away - no run away - and admit that I’m done, beaten, finished. But I can’t. I simply cannot afford to financially. I have commitments, I have a mortgage, I have four daughters to raise and I have a small but dedicated team who I am proud to call my friends as well as co-workers who rely on me - so as much as I’d like to run I’m here, stuck in this crazy vortex staring down the financial barrel of a gun and I just want to scream. 

Anyone who knows us understands that we are and always have been a hard-working family. Our plan has always been to re-invest every penny back into the business to build it up without having to take up big debt and then start to wind down, to slow down just a little bit and start to enjoy our life a little bit more. And that’s what we did. 

We built up Jersey Kitchen to be a thriving business based on our core values of quality and provenance of ingredients and superior customer service. And it worked. We have a fantastic reputation and had a burgeoning order book. Things were good and we were starting to be able to enjoy the fruits of our labour a little bit. We started to take the odd day off and even the odd family holiday. And then covid. 

Pictured: "I have been particularly vocal (and make no apology) in my condemnation of the way our industry has been treated by our Government," Tony wrote.

It has been well documented that ours was the first industry to close and the last to re-open. I have been particularly vocal (and make no apology) in my condemnation of the way our industry has been treated by our Government, and policy makers and still remain steadfastly unrepentant on my stance.  

Let’s be clear - I am a firm believer in the vaccine, for the need for lockdowns and for the priority to keep the public safe. I have a daughter with a low immune system and a wife who is battling cancer so compulsory vaccinations? - bring it on.  

And here’s the but. Enough is enough. I don’t want to speak of the disgraceful way that our industry has been thrown under the bus financially. as that too has been well documented.  In the context of my beloved Events and Hospitality Industry what I do want to speak about though is the hypocrisy, the backtracking, the inconsistency and the double standards that has been the hallmark of this Government’s handling of the pandemic.

How can it possibly be acceptable to allow a corporate dinner for 500 people to go ahead this week - indoors and with alcohol flowing, whilst at the same time a birthday party for 21 guests in a garden is not permitted? Can someone explain the rationale to me please because I sure as hell can’t understand it.   

Pictured: "How can it be ok to allow a wedding for an unlimited number of guests in a field but only have a maximum of 20 guests if it’s for a private party?"

The Lion’s dinner for 500 guests was never, ever, ever not going to be allowed to go ahead.  Why? Because it was the political will to make sure it went ahead by whatever means necessary which obviously includes bending or ‘re-interpreting’ the rules to suit - ha!

How can it be ok to allow a wedding for an unlimited number of guests in a field but only have a maximum of 20 guests if it’s for a private party - same venue, same marquee, same everything? I’m not talking about a bunch of mates having a booze up BBQ at home, I’m talking an organised, catered event such as a birthday party, anniversary etc… where professional caterers have been appointed, risk assessed, track and trace details taken, social distancing rules obeyed. Where’s the logic, where’s the science to back this up? 

Why can you book a large table at a restaurant for +20 people. but I can’t serve a meal at a private house for the same number?  Why is there a private lunch for 70 guests booked at a golf club today but you couldn’t have that lunch in a marquee next door to the golf club? I could go on and on and on, and on with other examples but what’s the point - no one in Government wants to listen and no one cares.   

Why are we not insisting that everyone arriving in the Island, irrespective of where they have travelled from must produce a negative PCR test prior to departure? No test, no flight and if they do arrive with no test then turn them around and refuse them entry.  Absolutely test everyone again on arrival in Jersey, but surely this simple idea is totally logical and simple to enforce?

Why do we have to self-isolate if we have been tracked and traced (and face a £10k fine if we break isolation), even though we have been double vaccinated?

Pictured: "Why are we not insisting that everyone arriving in the Island, irrespective of where they have travelled from must produce a negative PCR test prior to departure?"

Surely now the time has come for our Government to treat us with more respect. We have done everything asked of us and are continually being told just how effective our vaccinations are against the latest Delta variant, blah, blah, blah… So show us some respect and let us take some responsibility ourselves and start to try to lead a more normal life and to resume normal trading conditions. 

The two most recent Government delays in moving to the next stage of the roadmap has crippled us. Am I going to go bankrupt?  Probably not. I hope not. I have sunk everything that we’ve got into keeping afloat and we’ve been really careful to keep up with social security payments and to pay our suppliers etc… on time but we can’t carry on like this for much longer. 

Yes, we are looking nice and busy for the rest of the summer, but we can’t survive by only being busy for a couple of months. We have catered for two small weddings so far this year.  In a normal year this figure would have been around eleven or twelve. Likewise for corporate events.

This early season revenue is absolutely vital to see us through the long winter months so to be forced not to be able to cater for income generating functions because of inconsistent and downright dodgy rules and regulations is heart-breaking. There’s only so many body blows that you can take until you lose the will to fight and you just want to give up.  I’m very close.

Pictured: "You might have also even offered us a rescue package with criterion that we were actually eligible to apply for," Tony said.

I love my island with all my heart.  I’m a loud and proud Jersey man but boy am I being tested at the moment. So, what is my message to the powers that be? Grow a pair of balls, treat people with some respect and let them have responsibility for their own actions. And most importantly have the courage of your convictions and back your own decisions. You pushed for the vaccination roll out - it’s rolled out now so give us a flipping break.   

Finally, to the policy makers and civil servants who have been involved in drawing up the ‘much too little and far too late’ fiscal aid packages that were eventually offered to our industry - the same people who have continued to receive their full salary, holiday entitlement and gold-plated pension throughout the whole pandemic, the ones that have not had to alter their lifestyle in any way whatsoever. The same people that we have had to fight tooth and nail to receive any financial help. The same people who I have nothing but utter contempt for.  

Oh, how I wish you could walk a mile in my shoes, to experience the sleepless nights, the cold sweats, the feeling of utter desperation of not knowing if your business, your livelihood is going to survive, how you are going to pay the bills and provide for your family.

If you could have experienced the mental torture of these emotions, then maybe, just maybe you might have been able to have taken a less heartless, cold, calculated and mean approach to your decisions to delay any aid to our industry for as long as humanly possible and who knows, you might have also even offered us a rescue package with criterion that we were actually eligible to apply for."

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