Recreational venues in financial ruin, they say (updated)

Recreational venues in Paphos are in financial ruin, yet officials do not seem to care, the Paphos Hospitality Centre Owners Union (Sikap) said on Tuesday.

Deputy branch president Demetris Kallis said that during local lockdowns in Limassol and Paphos entrepreneurs were promised financial support that they have not yet received or had any updates on.

Nevertheless, he added, their financial responsibilities to the government still stand and have become even more pressing.

While half of the population received a 13th salary during the holidays, employees in the hospitality sector have had to survive on 60 per cent of their salary for close to a year, he said.

The November installment of the subsidy was apparently only paid out one or two days before Christmas and the December installment has yet to be paid, something Kallis characterised as “unacceptable and reprehensible”.

In terms of approving a new budget that will provide substantial help to individuals and businesses that have been hit by Covid-19, he strongly urged the government to “act now”.

Finally, Kallis highlighted that “people are desperate”, and that their patience is running out.

Meanwhile, in a letter to President Nicos Anastasiades and the relevant ministers, the association of cinemas together with ten theatres called on the state to take immediate measures to support cultural venues before it is too late.

They said that cinemas have been effectively closed for 10 months while many theatres have been closed or have been allowed to operate for just a few months, leading to huge financial losses which are not covered by the measures so far announced.

In their letter, they called for support to avert bankruptcy.