Hermitage motel owner Cliff Barry says that in 32 years in business he’s has not seen anything like the coronavirus nightmare.
“It’s been raining cancellations, conferences, sporting groups; we’ve had the equivalent of 500 night stays cancelled,’’ says Mr Barry, pictured above (left) during better times.
“In all of my years in business I’ve never seen anything like what’s happening now.’’
Mr Barry says with currently just three rooms occupied he’s sadly had to let half his staff go.
“I feel really bad for the staff, not for myself – I’ve had 31 good years.’’
With the iconic Hermitage restaurant downstairs also shut because of public health orders, Mr Barry says there’s a tough road ahead for the business, which has employed a lot of local people since it was established.
“Tough road’’ is an understatement: his outstanding bills include almost $36,000 in land tax and close to $15,000 in rates to Campbelltown City Council.
“This month’s electricity bill is $5,058, gas $2,045 and so on, but I’m confident we will survive,’’ says Mr Barry.
He said the restaurant will reopen the moment government allows it and he’s confident that the Hermitage – arguably the region’s best fine dining establishment for the past 20 years – will be as good as ever.
Not far from the Hermitage is bedding store Sleeping Giant, which is still operating as owner Warren Morrison tries to delay as long as possible shedding any jobs.
“We had a chat with all the staff and decided to keep trying to stay open as long as possible,’’ Mr Morrison told the South West Voice yesterday.
“I returned to the store the other day and all of the staff had big smiles on their faces, and they told me they had a very good day – it made my day,’’ he said.
“What’s happening now is that people are ordering on the phone and the product is delivered to them in a safe way.
“Our staff have also been maintaining social distancing rules trying to stay safe.’’
Mr Morrison, pictured below (right), who is also a councillor at Campbelltown, said he wasn’t sure how long the Sleeping Giant store at Blaxland Road would continue to stay open.
