Tony Sargeant, co-owner of Jersey Kitchen, said he was frustrated at a lack of consultation from the government as the Island comes out of lockdown.
The company operates an exclusive outdoor catering service, providing food for events such as weddings, corporate days and private parties.
It is now not permitted to host large events due to Covid-19 restrictions, but Mr Sargeant is adamant they could operate safely.
‘We don’t want favouritism – we want a level playing field. Pubs are open and able to mix people from separate households. Yet I can’t host more than 20 people despite offering contact tracing and other measures.
‘The answer is no before the question has been asked. We are experts in operating at big functions and have the solutions to operate safely.’
The company has scaled down its business and currently offers pre-prepared barbecue packs and grazing platters to families at home.
Mr Sargeant said the government had been sending ‘mixed messages’. He feels their outdoor operation is safer than any indoor service.
‘Working from an outdoor marquee means it can be designed as big as you like to comply with distancing rules and we can create an in-and-out flow system to limit interaction.’
Mr Sargeant explained they have invested in PPE equipment such as UV cutlery polishes and mobile hand washes to ensure a clean, sanitised service.
The company had 34 weddings booked this summer in what would have been a record year for the business, but they have all been cancelled.
‘We rely on 90% of what we make in the summer season. Even if we can salvage something from the rest of summer it may not be enough to see us through winter,’ he said.
Mr Sargeant believes there will be a bottle-neck situation next year with many weddings postponed until 2021.
‘Next season could be two years into one. It will be so busy that finding the numbers to cope could be difficult due to the lack of staffing in the hospitality industry,’ he said.
