Hawksmoor Criticises Pressure To Close on Day of Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral

I have seldom read such thinly disguised republican propaganda. What about their staff that might want to respect the Queen in some other way than working?

From The Telegraph via the WayBackMachine

By Hannah Boland

A host of businesses announce they are shutting as a sign of respect

Top-end steak restaurant Hawksmoor has said businesses should not be pressured to close “out of respect” for Queen Elizabeth's funeral next Monday, after supermarkets and retailers unveiled plans to shut their doors.

Hawksmoor, which runs 10 restaurants in London, Manchester and Edinburgh, said it was planning to keep all its sites open on the bank holiday for the funeral next Monday, aside from its restaurant in Guildhall which it always shuts on public holidays.

Writing on Twitter, Hawksmoor said: “If you want to shut, so you/your staff/customers can grieve or take part in an important national moment, then you should. Just try not to make it sound like you are ‘showing respect for the Queen’ and implying that those doing differently are not.

“Respect for the Queen (to me) suggests tolerance to how others feel or behave, however they grieve (even ‘whether’ they grieve).

“No one should feel that their quiet, respectful decisions are being thrown out for public judgement on social media. There is no ‘right’ answer.”

The comments come after a host of businesses unveiled plans to close their doors, including larger Sainsbury's and Tesco shops and department stores John Lewis and Harrods.

A spokesman for Sainsbury's said the decision to close had been made “in honour of Her Majesty and so our colleagues can pay their respects”.

Andrew Murphy, the chief operating officer of The John Lewis Partnership, said the department stores would be closed “as a mark of respect, and because we believe this is the right thing to do for our partners and customers”.

There is no obligation for retailers to close on the bank holiday, and restaurants and pubs are also able to decide whether they want to remain open.

Some, such as pub chain Greene King, have said they will remain open on Monday. Greene King said it was keeping its more than 2,600 sites open “for communities to gather to mourn and reflect together on the life of the Queen”.