Restaurants, cafés and bars were hit hard by coronavirus measures after they were told to shut their doors at midnight on 15 March. Although restaurants have since switched to delivery or takeaway only in an attempt to stay afloat, cafés and bars have been unable to adapt to the circumstances.
The Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses appealed to owners of commercial premises to exercise solidarity towards their tenants, after a number of municipalities across the country waived the rent on their own buildings to assist businesses in need.
Private owners can act at their own discretion. Many operators do not deal directly with the owner, but with the brewery which is the first tenant.
Georges Lentz, owner of the National Brewery, said prior to the government's appeal that several owners advised they would offer support. The National Brewery rents around 400 premises, subletting them to operators.
The models offered vary from rent reduction to outright cancellation, including staggering payments to allow for the business' finances. Lentz said the solidarity shown was heart-warming, and the brewery would pass the measures on to their tenants.
One of the most important owners in the sector is M Immobilier, which oversees some 200 businesses, most of them cafés and restaurants. Serge Libens, head of the group, said they had followed the government's recommendation and waived costs for the month of April to all tenants who have been forced to shut down.
At the head of the Clausel brewery and the Mansfeld distillery, the Libens family also offered several thousand litres of 96 % alcohol to hospital services for use in disinfection.
