they close and return to their country

He Chinatown, located in Belgrano, is the scene of a real disaster. Beaten by the irruption of the Covid-19 and the subsequent quarantine, this area that until March nucleated more than 120 shops of Asian origin Today it is just another sample of startups that are falling apart, job losses and uncertainty about how to continue in the case of SMEs that still exist. 90 percent of businesses display their blinds low and in the last weeks the definitive closing of restaurants and establishments of different items began to accelerate.

Before the consultation of iProfessional, from the Barrio Chino Association of Buenos Aires, an organization that integrates all the activities in that area, were lapidary when it came to setting a forecast: at least 30 percent of businesses will not reopen.

In other words, around 40 startups, They indicated from the entity, they will have been lost forever by the time the mandatory quarantine finishes lifting.

They also indicated that there are more than 500 families that, due to the effect of the pandemic and commercial crackdown, have already made the decision to return to China just official as soon as international flights are reactivated. Community organizations have been promoting actions such as the delivery of sanitary material and supplies in general, all in order to somehow moderate the difficulties of the residents of the area.

“Except for the essential items such as supermarkets, greengrocers and opticians, the rest of the shops are all closed. Reached by what is established by quarantine. We are having very close closings in businesses such as restaurants. In the last weeks 3 have closed and now there are 2 more that are about to stop working definitely, “he said to iProfessional Antonio Chang, president of the Barrio Chino Association.

During the second week of May, the Hong Kong Style, a traditional gastronomic point in the area, highly recommended by renowned chefs, closed the doors of its restaurant in Montañeses at 2100.

“After 20 years of dedicating absolutely all our days to this project that culminated in what you know today as Hong Kong Style, we have made the difficult decision of close the doors of what has been our home since 2000 and save Lui’s wok, “their owners reported through the restaurant space on Instagram.

A few days later, it was the turn of All Happy -Arribeños 2177-, a redoubt of Taiwanese food with more than 35 years of operation in that enclave of Belgrano. Their owners found it impossible to resist based on food deliveries and their 14 employees were left on the street.

Already in the last days, the final shutdown was carried out by Dragon Porteño -Arribeños 2137-, Taiwanese cuisine with more than two decades of operation in Chinatown.

Its owners advanced with the cessation of operations after not being able to afford the rent, taxes in general, and the wages of 8 employees. The delivery alternative hardly meant a billing of the order of 10 percent with respect to the commercial movement prior to the coronavirus.

The Hong Kong Style, a traditional gastronomic spot highly recommended by renowned chefs, closed its doors in May.

Job and business losses

Chang said that prior to quarantine Chinatown is home to almost twenty gastronomic shops. Of that total, he commented, all of those who still fight to survive cling to commercialization via delivery or the “take away” modality.

“Entrepreneurs are doing their best to keep keeping restaurants open. They are businesses that average about 15 employees“We are talking about many people who will be out of work if closings like those of recent days continue to occur,” he warned.

“Landlords can no longer afford not only rents: They also do not have to pay the taxes while the electricity, water and gas tickets do not stop arriving. Debts and debts accumulate. Although some owners were offered discounts on rents, that did not help too much because the sale is very low and the income almost non-existent, “he added.

The benchmark of Asociación Barrio Chino maintained that the collapse of economic activity began to take shape with the disappearance of tourism. “Visitors generate the main commercial movement. Tourists who come from Greater Buenos Aires, the very interior of Argentina. When the internal circulation in the country was paralyzed, everything began to be very bad for the merchants, “he confided.

Chang said the Chinese embassy is closely following the situation in the community but has not taken any intervention. “It has a purely political functioning. The Chinese who are melting will go back to zero, look for other jobs or begin to return to their native country,” he said.

In this sense, the interviewee assured that there are already more than 500 families who reported their decision to return to China precisely as soon as international air services are reactivated.

“In the conurbano there are also people who have already said that they will return. As the quarantine is extended more and more, other families will begin to evaluate such an alternative. We hope that there can be a recovery in a very short time, “he concluded.

According to entities in the sector, about 3,200 restaurants will not reopen their doors when the quarantine ends.

Gastronomic collapse

The closure of emblematic restaurants in Chinatown is part of the general decline that is evident in the sector from the deepening of social isolation.

Entities such as the Association of Hotels, Restaurants, Confectioneries and Cafes (AHRCC) already have details of how much the collapse amounts to: 40 percent of the City’s gastronomic offer, according to spokesmen indicated to iProfessional.

In other words, about 3,200 restaurants will not reopen. In terms of employment, this implies that the sector lost about 20,000 jobs from the second part of March to this month.

Several emblematic stores closed permanently and lower losses are expected

It is from this dramatic situation that the businessmen of the activity raised separate requests to the political segment for a law to be passed declaring the national emergency of the sector. This motivated that, in the last weeks, at least 10 projects – some even presented by the ruling party – arrived in Congress to push financial aid to gastronomy.

The expectation of the entire business community is placed on the eventual approval of some of these initiatives. Restaurants and bars request, among other points, the immediate delivery of ATP to all establishments, tax exemption, suspension of payments of certain taxes, an extension of the rent payment and immediate access to zero-rate loans for working capital.

They also demand the elimination of all employer contributions until normal and habitual activity is resumed, VIA exemption for national tourism, taking expenses on tourism into Profits. Elimination of credit card fees for one year after the opening and exemption from the tax on bank credits and debits.

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