Esplanade traders speak out on Covid restrictions

Recently, the Welsh Government ended the harsh restrictions that were deemed necessary because of the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Hospitality can now open as normal, though some precautions, including mask wearing, should still be taken.

Four cafes and restaurants on the Esplanade spoke out about how the restrictions had affected each of them, with a surprising amount of variation in experience.

Romeo's by the Sea

Italian and seafood restaurant Romeo's by the Sea has been a fixture on the Esplanade for years.

Peppino Scarico, who has been manager of the restaurant for 12 years, said the restrictions had made a big difference to business at the restaurant.

"It has been a real struggle, but hopefully it's looking up," he said.

"I think it has been the same for everyone."

He said that business was already improving since the restrictions lifted at the end of last week.

Despite struggling recently, Mr Scarico was effusive in his praise for Penarth.

He said: "I love it here, it doesn't get any better."

Coffi Co

Coffi Co had a very different experience to other cafes and restaurants while restrictions were in place.

Because of the large amount of outdoor seating available, business was not hugely affected.

Assistant manager Eleri Marsh said: "We were quite busy anyway (during restrictions).

"Our outside seating helped."

The rule of six affected large groups sitting together, but Ms Marsh said that many customers were happy with taking two tables.

She also commented on how she believes that the outdoor seating made people feel safer in coming to the cafe.

There are also plenty of takeaway orders each day, which provided a steady stream of business regardless of if people visited the cafe.

Casa De Margarita

Casa De Margarita is one of the newest additions to the Esplanade having opened about a year and a half ago.

The restaurant is so new that they have not been in business without some sort of Covid restrictions in place.

Therefore, they have not noticed a huge drop in the amount of customers and said their regulars would still drop by.

However, the main issue with the most recent set of restrictions was the amount of cancelled bookings for group events.

This was most notable during New Year's Eve - one of the restaurant's most popular and profitable dates.

Alan, the manager of Casa De Margarita, said: "You could have people over at your home, but you couldn't go to a restaurant.

"It was frustrating and we had a lot of cancelled bookings."

The issue was compounded because the restaurant had stopped taking bookings, thinking that they were going to have the maximum amount of people in.

However, Alan said that being on the Esplanade has helped the restaurant, especially as they have outside seating.

He said: "We have been lucky with the location.

"If it's dry, then people go outside even if it is cold."

However, he did go on to say that he was disappointed with the Vale Council for not offering more support, especially in the case of not allowing heaters for the outside seats.

This is because heaters are not allowed on the pavements.

Alan said it is too early to say if business is improving following the lifting of restrictions.

Pickford's Galley & Bar with Rooms

Pickford's Galley & Bar with Rooms has been open since January 28, 2020 - just before the beginning of the pandemic.

Therefore, despite being officially open for two years, they have only been open to the public for about two months including before lockdown.

Despite being closed for some time, the restaurant has still been able to operate a takeaway service and has taken the opportunity to develop slowly.

Huw Pickford, one of the owners, said: "It (the time the restaurant was closed) helped us grow and develop slowly.

"We opened sections slowly but surely."

He credits the location on the Esplanade as being vital to keeping the new business afloat.

"The main thing that really helped us was the weather and the location," said Mr Pickford

"If we were one or two streets back then we wouldn't have survived."

The restaurant is already highly regarded, with it being one of the highest rated restaurants in Penarth on Tripadvisor.

At the same time as thriving as a new business during a difficult time for hospitality, Pickford's has carried out charity work for organisations such as the NHS.

Mr Pickford is optimistic for the future and believes that the business will only grow further as restrictions are eased.