Monday, March 16, 2020
After 15 years of business, Michael Magner of Vienna Woods Hotel has closed his doors amid the coronavirus pandemic in what he calls an “unprecedented act of God.” Vienna Woods is the first city hotel to close following the Government appeal to the public to minimise social contact to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The hotelier said the welfare of his staff, support for the Government and the safeguarding of his business were the main reasons for closing his doors.
Mr Magner told his 100-plus staff on Saturday of his decision to close and said it was one of the hardest days in his life.
Mr Magner said that there are over a hundred people. It is the first hotel to close and they think this is the reality of what lies ahead. Speaking to The Echo, he called on the Government to offer advice and direction along with financial supports to businesses in this time of crisis. While they appreciate the Government is putting the health services first, they need to offer support, this is not a recession, this is an unprecedented force majeure, if they will, act of God and in a time like this we look to the Government for leadership.
Mr Magner said ‘crisis’ was too tame a word to use in the current situation and said that people’s mental health could be affected in the coming days and weeks.
The hotelier said that while Government had urged businesses to close and supplement staff incomes, he said it is not always possible. He said that some businesses may be able to do something but the reality is others cannot.
Managing Director of Trigon Hotels Aaron Mansworth said it was a very difficult time for hotels. The government supports are badly needed as quickly as possible.
He said that the situation was entirely unprecedented and hotels were seeing between 70% to 100% fall-off in business. They are just taking it week by week, social distancing has to be done, but you can’t run a business like their like that.
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Thursday, April 18, 2024
