An Edinburgh caterers have shared how their "spirit has been broken" after they hit out at the way their business has been treated in recent weeks.
Once a thriving sandwich shop in the West End and now a fully functioning private caterers, the Roots Catering Kitchen spoke out on social media about the festive period.
Providing delicious party platters, freezer meals and more, the family-run business said they were hoping to be getting "excited about Christmas" - but instead issued a plea to clients to treat small companies with more decency.
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Following a 'hellish' few years during the pandemic, the caterers said clients should be able to pay small businesses on time and avoid 'stringing them along' or 'ignoring' them regarding orders.
Hoping to raise awareness about the struggles both they and other small companies have faced this Christmas, Roots added that they shouldn't have to "bend over backwards" to support their livelihood.
Writing in a post, owners Catriona and Mark said: "We had a really nice post scheduled for this evening, getting excited about Christmas, showing off some festive goodies that we’ve served, sharing our Hogmanay offering and plans for the new year. And it’s all gone out the window.
"As you know, we’re a really wee business. Tiny, in fact, especially since closing the shop. These days, it’s really just the two of us: cheffing, KP-ing, managing admin, doing deliveries, sourcing ingredients… We work silly hours, and we do our best to run our business sustainably and with integrity in an already difficult industry.
"Like for everyone, the last few years have been tough. Hellish, in fact. But we’ve always been so proud of ourselves for getting through it: pandemic, Brexit, rising food costs, energy prices, covid, having a baby, baby being poorly… we survived the lot!
"This last week, however, is the week that has really broken our spirit. All the talk of #shoplocal and #smallbusinesssupport seems like a long time ago. We’ve always had a great relationship with our guests, based on mutual respect. We are flexible to the needs of our clients, but our business is our entire livelihood, and we cannot bend over backwards every. single. time.
"So, we put out a plea to you:
- If you ask a small business to provide a product or service, please pay them. Please pay them on time and in full.
- If there is a slight possibility that you may need to cancel your order, please discuss this with them, and agree on cancellation terms
- If the business already has cancellation terms in place, please respect them
- If you don’t agree with their terms, don’t string them along then ignore their terms when cancelling at the very last minute
- If extenuating circumstances force you to cancel your order, please understand that the terms still stand
- Please realise that a small business has probably turned down other business in order to accommodate you
- Offering to pay a portion of the bill “to cover costs” is not “fair and generous”. It shows a complete lack of respect, and puts their livelihood at risk."
You can find more information about Roots Catering and their offerings on their Facebook page.
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