Hospitality venues have been forced to close once more and limit their services to take-away and delivery only, putting a tremendous strain on these businesses and business owners, both financially and emotionally.

We spoke with the owner of Indian Room, Mubin, to hear how lockdown has affected his business, which has been a staple of the Balham community for 17 years. No doubt 2020 has been one of the most challenging years yet for the business. 

“We’re keeping our heads just above water.

“It’s much tougher out there – more local places are beginning to stay permanently closed. When one closes it actually makes it harder for other businesses to thrive because it creates less of an atmosphere, so the general environment takes a hit.

“Opening and closing has been a mental strain. It’s difficult to maintain rhythm when you’re constantly changing plans. Sending staff away, calling them back to work, and changing delivery orders takes big planning. Opening and closing takes big planning - and that is expensive! 

“Yes we are making revenue but to make money we need capacity, unfortunately revenue doesn’t cover that cost. Truly, I would rather take the sacrifice and open up properly when I’m confident in what is going on. In the long term, the chances are better for businesses to stay afloat and open without this going back and forth”

In the midst of challenge and struggle, Mubin and the team at Indian Room remain hopeful for the future of the British hospitality industry. There are talks of new plans to decorate the interior and give the restaurant a new look. Even more exciting are the new dishes which will be making a feature on the menu. The opportunity to experiment with new flavours and invent new dishes has allowed the staff to get creative and plan ahead for the future.

Thanks to Mubin for sharing how his business is faring at this time.

Indian Room are located at 59 Bedford Hill, open every day for takeaway & deliveries. Open Mon-Thur, 4.30pm-11pm, Friday, 4.30pm-11.45pm, Sat, 12.45pm-11.45pm, Sun, 12.45pm-11pm. View their menu and order online at indianroom.co.uk