Customers regret closing of East London restaurant Country Bumpkin

The end of the lockdown alcohol ban has arrived too late for popular East London family restaurant Country Bumpkin.

The restaurant, set in a large garden with outdoor dining, a children’s play area and a wood-fired pizza oven at Floradale in Beacon Bay, closed its doors on Sunday with the loss of 16 jobs.

Just days before President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Saturday night to allow alcohol sales, owner Caitlin Ferraz was given notice to vacate after she was unable to negotiate a reduced rent or payment options.

Forced to close on March 26 as SA’s lockdown level 5 came into effect and then allowed limited trading as regulations eased, Ferraz has struggled to cover costs.

Negotiations with the landlord over recent months to reduce the rent going forward, while the business recovers, failed.

Ferraz said: “It’s been pretty stressful, but it has been getting busier and being able to sell alcohol again would have been a big help. Closing down is devastating for me and my staff.”

Country Bumpkin was bought by Ferraz and her husband, Thinus Mostert, in 2013. He died in 2015 leaving her to run the restaurant and bring up their two young children.

When level 5 lockdown occurred, Ferraz, who had been paying into the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), successfully arranged payouts for her staff.

They have since been employed on a rotational basis as business picked up.

Customers have expressed shock and sadness on social media. “Food and happy faces definitely going to be sadly missed,” said one Facebook post.

“Many good memories,” said another and “What? Noooo!”

Border-Kei Chamber of Business executive director Les Holbrook said the closure was terribly sad and a great shame.

“It was a restaurant of significant benefit to the restaurant sector and was unique,” he said.

“They did really well and Caitlin brought a lot of heart to the restaurant.”

Holbrook said the BKCOB had been lobbying for a long time to have restrictions lifted, particularly in the tourism and hospitality sector and for ban on alcohol to be lifted.

The site will be taken over by Ernest Kleynhans, owner of Burbridge Foods, a wholesale food supplier to the restaurant and supermarket industry.

Kleynhans says it would reopen under new management and a new name after major refurbishment. “We will put up something similar, a family restaurant,” he said.

An opening date has not been set.

Floradale’s Tim Muller declined to comment and his father, who owns Floradale, could not be reached.

Lockdown and the ban on alcohol sales has had a catastrophic impact on the hospitality industry.

Restaurants, cafes and takeaway outlets were forced to close from midnight on March 26 for the initial three-week level 5 lockdown.

On May 1 they were permitted to operate for food delivery only. From the end of June, sit-down dining was permitted but with a limit on the number of diners, a 9pm curfew and a strict no-alcohol law that has been fiercely contested by restaurant owners across SA.

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