6,000 jobs at risk at Cafe Rouge and Bella Italia owner

**Mordac** · 19 May 2020, 12:15

Originally posted by Eirikur View Post

Brexit blamed for it Corona gave the final push
Coronavirus: 6,000 jobs at risk at Cafe Rouge and Bella Italia owner - BBC News

Nothing to do with Brexit*, everything to do with their overpriced, underwhelming offerings, high rents and business rates, and generally crap service. The chaff won't survive, because they don't deserve to survive.

*Although it will make it harder for such chains to employ staff on a 'minimum-wage-and-not-a-penny-more' basis.

**ladymuck** · 19 May 2020, 12:16

I didn't mind Cafe Rouge but I thought they disappeared years ago. Never been in a Bella Pasta.

**Mordac** · 19 May 2020, 14:30

Originally posted by ladymuck View Post

I didn't mind Cafe Rouge but I thought they disappeared years ago. Never been in a Bella Pasta.

You haven't missed anything.

**Old Greg** · 20 May 2020, 07:58

Originally posted by Mordac View Post

Nothing to do with Brexit*, everything to do with their overpriced, underwhelming offerings, high rents and business rates, and generally crap service. The chaff won't survive, because they don't deserve to survive.

*Although it will make it harder for such chains to employ staff on a 'minimum-wage-and-not-a-penny-more' basis.

As the article make clear, the Brexit referendum result devalued GBP which pushed up the cost of imported food. Sorry to disturb your fantasies with reality. Just put it down as Project Fear.

**elsergiovolador** · 20 May 2020, 08:03

Their locations will be taken over by betting shops, banks or loan sharks.

**LondonManc** · 20 May 2020, 09:38

Cafe Rouge on CW is horrendous. Should have been firebombed.

**darmstadt** · 20 May 2020, 10:06

They have to go as they have foreign names

**Snooky** · 20 May 2020, 10:29

Originally posted by ladymuck View Post

I didn't mind Cafe Rouge but I thought they disappeared years ago. Never been in a Bella Pasta.

I liked Café Rouge on the rare occasions I've gone there - but it's always so empty I have no idea how they've survived this long

**Mordac** · 20 May 2020, 11:11

Originally posted by Old Greg View Post

As the article make clear, the Brexit referendum result devalued GBP which pushed up the cost of imported food. Sorry to disturb your fantasies with reality. Just put it down as Project Fear.

Yes, it did, but that would apply to every food importer. So why are some coping better than others? As we have discussed widely, badly run companies are quick to blame Brexit, because it deflects quite nicely away from the real reasons.
Quite apart from the fact that their brand name sounds like an Italian drag act, their food offering wasn't very good, and the service was awful. No organisation is going to survive that in the long term, with or without Brexit.

6,000 jobs at risk at Cafe Rouge and Bella Italia owner