16/03/2022
MEDIA RELEASE SITE PIZZA BARS
Hi everyone
I want to let you know about the Site journey over the past couple of years.
The Covid pandemic put an incredible strain on our business, starting back in 2020. The restrictions on us were something we had never seen before.
We did all we could in 2020 to keep operating and to make sure that our loyal staff had jobs. Government assistance helped a little, and we tried new things like take away home style meals - where we tried to provide the locals with a huge range of affordable meals in single and family portions when they were unable, or even too scared, to go out to shopping centres for food.
Our business took a large hit financially, but we always managed to keep our doors open.
At the end of 2020, I reflected on the year we had and was very proud of what we were able to achieve. We couldn’t have done that without our amazing staff, friends and family - and most of all our loyal customers. We are a family run business so without these people supporting us we just wouldn’t have made it.
Things looked brighter in December 2020 and leading into January 2021, when we saw the end of many restrictions and lock downs, and we took an opportunity to take over another business which had not survived.
Site on the Green was born, in Green Square in Alexandria.
I thought that an expanding business would help me and the general economy get back on track quicker.
Site on the Green sat inside a lovely new hotel called the Veriu, which was also struggling with everything going on around us.
We decided to help each other out, as the hotel needed a catering option and we could see a lot of potential with on-site commercial catering and in-house dining to support Site on the Green's normal business with the public.
The new, even more severe, lock downs and restrictions during 2021, labour shortages and new strains of the coronavirus (with Delta and then Omicron), Site on the Green struggled and we couldn't get the business off of the ground.
We tried to prop up the business, but the financial strain was too much.
This financial impact had a personal strain on me, including on my physical and mental health, and on my family.
So I have had to make the very difficult decision to close Site on the Green and to focus on Site Little Bay and Site Maroubra.
Sadly, at the end of this month, the doors at Site on the Green will close for good.
I really want to thank Veriu. They totally understood what we have gone through, and during the course of the year have been very helpful. To the Site on the Green staff, I am so thankful that you worked in two venues while we tried our best to get this new venture to work. To my family, friends, all of my staff and especially my loyal customers - thank you for putting up with me even when I was crazier than normal and my apologies if I have put extra stress on you.
I am looking forward to better days moving forward, as I concentrate on our longstanding businesses in Little Bay and Maroubra and my family again.
Thank you, and I hope to see you at a Site near you soon.
