Recent restaurant closures prompt help from Lethbridge Chamber

The head of the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce says the closing of more restaurants in our city is difficult to swallow. Cyndi Bester says it is tough seeing both Mocha Cabana and Sam’s Donairs and Hamburgers closing their doors. The owners said both the pandemic and inflation were to blame. Bester says the impact of these losses will be felt throughout the community. She does add, however, that the chamber is offering help for the rest of October and going into November for business owners who are struggling.

“We started something called the Professional Power Hour. It’s every Wednesday and we’re hosting it at the ATB Entrepreneur Centre. And it’s different topics that help employers with their business, you know, from HR to hiring practices, risk management, balancing your financials, things like that. Because we know that there’s a lot of questions right now. The government grants, we have to start paying those back. How do we pay them back? Do we wait until the extension is done? So there’s a lot of those questions out there.”

Bester adds the Chamber is looking into running more events in the new year to help business owners during these tough times.