Gravesend restaurant and ex-vaccine centre reflects on Covid – BBC

Image source, Clifford Rodrigues/V's Punjabi Grill

The restaurant says some people have since returned to the restaurant to eat since they received their vaccination

23 March 2024, 07:08 GMT

A restaurant that was transformed into a vaccination centre during the pandemic has said it is still getting back on its feet.

One of the owners of V's Punjabi Grill, Clifford Rodrigues, said business had seen a decline in the four years since the first lockdown.

V's Punajbi Grill in Gravesend used an outdoor marquee to help deliver vaccines.

Mr Rodrigues said some people had returned to the restaurant to eat after receiving their vaccination there.

Raj Chopra, the other co-owner, turned the restaurant into a vaccine centre after his father, Jagtar Chopra, became unwell with Covid in December 2020.

The centre opened in January 2022 and they delivered vaccines to 10,000 people.

Mr Rodrigues said it had been difficult to recover since the lockdowns.

He said: "It has taken a long while to recover from the last few years.

"Things had been beginning to look good at the end of last year but then it has declined at the start of this year.

"It has been difficult to attract new customers, but if you have a product of real quality then people will bring new people to you."

Image source, Clifford Rodrigues/V's Punjabi Grill

The centre opened in January 2022 and they jabbed 10,000 people

He added that some people had less money to spend now than they did before the pandemic.

Some businesses can rely on e-sales and web sales, but food is where the money is. If people are not buying food, then it is difficult to survive in this game, he said.

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Gravesend restaurant and ex-vaccine centre reflects on Covid - BBC