Senior Reporter
anna-lisa.paul@guardian.co.tt
Due to increasing crime, the management team at the popular eatery Pappy’s—Brian’s Fricken Chicken has decided to reduce their operating hours by one hour on Fridays and Saturdays at their Woodbrook branch.
Manager Roshinder Singh said the urgent need to ensure the safety and well-being of both staff and customers had been the deciding factor in the announcement, which was issued this week.
Speaking with Guardian Media at the Woodbrook outlet yesterday, Singh said the decision had been carefully thought out and recent happenings within the Woodbrook and Maraval areas had only reinforced this.
She said, “We have decided to reduce our hours on Friday and Saturday nights. It’s been in the process for a while now, but due to events such as Trotters and whatever else is going down on Ariapita Avenue, we’ve just been deciding to reduce our hours by just one hour for the safety of our team and our staff.”
The establishment will now open from 11 am to 7 pm from Tuesday to Thursday and from 11 am to 8 pm on Friday and Saturday.
The branch at Garden Park, San Juan, will maintain its’ normal operating time of 11 am to 7 pm.
A robbery at Trotters, Maraval Road, where patrons and staff were relieved of cash and valuables by armed men as they dined around 10.30 pm on November 7, as well as a shooting on Ariapita Avenue around 6 am on November 9 in which three people were injured, cemented their decision.
Singh said the owners had opted to implement precautionary strategies as opposed to having to adopt reactive measures later on.
Indicating the feedback has so far been positive from persons on both sides of the coin, she said, “I think everyone will adjust. So far, we have received no complaints.”
Singh said the lost hour between 8 pm and 9 pm on the two days, did not exactly represent their busiest periods and as such, they were not going to be adversely impacted.
“Our only concern is safety,” she declared, adding, “It is the only concern that we have for our staff as they go home late hours, later than us managers, because they have to close up and they are by themselves, so we really don’t feel comfortable with them leaving here 10 pm at night. It is just not safe for them, so we made that decision for them.”
“We have received feedback from them saying it’s hard for them to get taxis at night. They live in various parts of Trinidad, and they are very happy that we have listened to their concerns and reduced the hours. They don’t lose pay, and we just want them to feel more comfortable.”
Revealing she was the granddaughter of former Senate President Dr Linda Baboolal, Singh said, “My grandmother worked extremely hard for this country. My grandparents worked very hard for this country. They made extreme sacrifices for this country.”
She said it was very distressing to see what T&T had transformed into.
Saying she had to cut short her travels and return to T&T when the COVID pandemic struck, Singh shared, “I left 20 years ago due to crime, and now I am back 20 years later, in worse crime.”
Despite this, she said they had to find a way to survive.
“We really need to get people on board with taking care of staff as their number one priority.”
She added, “I really hope this spreads for other people as well, and they close a little earlier so their staff gets home safe and sound, and maybe it will spread and help crime lessen.”
