Montreal restaurant owner says ongoing construction forced him to temporarily close his business
The owner of a popular Indian restaurant on Montreal's Saint-Laurent Boulevard says he has been forced to temporarily shut down his business because of ongoing construction right outside his doorstep.
Simar Anand says the roadwork is hurting business at Darbar, a family-run restaurant for more than 25 years.
On a normal day, the kitchen is bustling with activity.
"There’d be a lot of peeling happening in one area, a lot of chopping happening in another area, a lot of cooking on the pots there," Anand said at his restaurant Tuesday.
But now, it's silent. He temporarily closed the business two weeks ago.
"On July 11, I came to the restaurant, and all these sidewalks and all these streets were dug up," he said.
RESERVATIONS 'CANCELLED'
Because of that, he says his sales took a hit at an already challenging time.
"When they see that they’re going to be sitting out on the patio and dealing with jackhammers and all these loud noises, they’re not going to want to come," he said.
"And I’ve been seeing that day in and day out, more and more of our reservations are getting cancelled."
It's been especially difficult for Anand, who took over the restaurant two years ago after his father — known affectionately to friends as Babu — caught COVID-19 and died.
"I want more and more people to know about my dad, about his story, about the restaurant, but in order for us to do that we have to be open."
Simar Anand, second from right, with his family and a drawing of his father, known affectionately to many as Babu. (Source: Simar Anand)
After two pandemic years, it would have been his busiest month. The closure means his staff have had to find other work to make ends meet.
Belgin Odyakmaz worked at Darbar as a dishwasher.
"I’m a single mom with two kids so I depend on this income to feed my family and pay my bills," Odyakmaz said.
Since the restaurant closed, she has been doing odd jobs, but said it's not enough.
"The construction is supposed to last a couple more months so I’m just borrowing money to pay my bills until I can start doing those extra hours again," she said.
Simar Anand's father, Babu. (Source: Simar Anand)
Workers are replacing lead pipes under the road and construction is expected to stretch into September.
The city says it is aware the construction is an inconvenience, but that a lot of projects had to be put on hold during the pandemic, and that the work in front of the restaurant can only be done during the summer.
In a statement, the city told CTV News that certain work must now be carried out in order "to maintain our infrastructure in good health and to prevent the risk of water main breakage to avoid flooding."
It added that city officials asked him to remove his terrasse before the work started, but that it was not possible since his supplier was not available. The statement said it would proceed with the construction work and if the terrasse needs to be removed, the city would cover the cost.
Anand said he plans to reopen as long as he can retain staff through the summer in order to continue his father's legacy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Bob Cole, veteran CBC broadcaster and former voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada,' dead at 90
Bob Cole, legendary CBC broadcaster and former voice of Hockey Night in Canada, has died. He was 90.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.