50 persons not enough - Jungle Fiah boss says small gatherings can’t pay bills
Published:Sunday | June 14, 2020 | 12:00 AMShereita Grizzle - Staff Reporter
Although it may not have been a new phenomenon for restaurants, sports bars, and lounges to incorporate live music into their entertainment package, these ‘chill spots’ over the past two to three years have been credited with breathing new life into the live-entertainment scene. The birth of live shows such as 100 Live and Tracks Live Sessions created new opportunities for artistes and music lovers alike. Night life at these popular eateries was booming when COVID-19 struck. With a restriction placed on public gatherings, these spots suffered double-barrel losses. Not only did the restrictions put a pause on the dine-in experience, but it also completely shut down the extra funds that would have been generated from hosting live-music events. As conversations surrounding a phased reopening of the entertainment industry continues, operators of some of these ‘chill spots’ say they are more than ready to reopen their doors.
Franklyn Mason Jr, managing director of Jungle Fiah Group Ltd, says it would not make financial sense to reopen his businesses if restrictions are set at 50 persons. The franchise operates the Jungle Fiah chain of eateries, which depends heavily on entertainment. Mason Jr said that while he supports a phased reopening of the entertainment industry, he does not believe a 50-person limit will be worth the overhead costs of operating some establishments.
“A lot of people have been requesting the live music. We thrive on live entertainment at Jungle Fiah. That is a big part of our package and our business model. We were put in a tough spot with coronavirus, and so the reopening would definitely improve things for us,” he said. “But with that said, I wouldn’t necessarily be OK with a 50-person limit. I understand that some income is better than none, but accommodating 50 persons in our space, under social-distancing conditions, wouldn’t cover a large range of bills. I think if we’re going to open it, we should open it without a people limit, so I would rather wait until then. If it’s not safe to open where you can have at least 200 people in the event at a time, it won’t be worth it.”
Clubs and other places of amusement have been closed since March when the Government imposed measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 disease. While the Government has lifted some of the lockdown orders, there has been no indication as to when the entertainment sector could get a break. Prime Minister Andrew Holness has increased the number of persons allowed to attend funerals and weddings to 50, but persons should be at least six feet from each other.
Co-director of Ribbiz Ocean Lounge Kamal Bankay told The Sunday Gleaner that the closure of their facilities have resulted in a significant financial fallout that they are hoping to start recovering from as soon as possible. He said that like every other player in the entertainment space right now, he would support the idea of a phased reopening of the industry.
LIFELINE FOR ALL
“A complete shutdown for us meant zero income for the business and all of our staff, and so a reopening of the industry would be a lifeline for all of us. We all need to support entertainment and creative industries as much as we support any other industry since so many of our fellow Jamaicans depend on it to live,” he said, pointing out that baby steps would be welcomed. “It (the entertainment industry) is a quickly evolving space, and we will take the guidelines as they come and adjust as we go along. We are all looking forward to the economic recovery in a safe and healthy way. We can begin operations at that level and be grateful. Some income is better than none.”
In the meantime, Mason Jr says he has been putting plans in place to facilitate the reopening of his facilities if given the green light by the Government. “I have been initiating some health and safety protocols because that, of course, is the main priority. We want to ensure that when we are allowed to reopen, our patrons will be coming into a safe space,” he said.
“What I’m hoping is that when we do get the go-ahead, people will turn out and not be paranoid about enjoying themselves like they used to. That may be our biggest challenge. I’ve been hearing people say that they’re gonna sit out the first few events when the space is opened again because they’re afraid, and so they want to wait and see. This COVID-19 has definitely changed the face of entertainment. We are going to always have to consider social distancing even if it’s in the short term. We will always have to operate bearing in mind people’s thoughts. We can’t go around the fact that people are conscious of their space, and it may always be that way, and so it will be a little difficult dealing with people’s paranoia from this thing. Entertainment, for sure, won’t be the same.”