Green Lantern Restaurant To Close
[Updated] Citing the “current economic climate”, the Green Lantern Restaurant will close its doors after 70 odd years in business. The Serpentine Road based business will close permanently this coming Saturday [Feb.4].
A spokesperson said, “After much consideration the staff of the Green Lantern Restaurant were informed that we will be closing our doors permanently on Saturday February 4 2012 after 70 odd years of business.
“The current economic climate has made it impossible for us to sustain as a viable entity. We’ve avoided this decision for as long as possible, but unfortunately this is what it has come to.
“We are extremely grateful for the generations that have patronized us.”
Update #1: The Restaurant employs approximately 12 people.
Update #2: Government released a statement, it follows in full below:
The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Hon. Patrice K, Minors JP, MP, said that she was saddened, upon hearing today’s announcement that the Green Lantern Restaurant will close its doors on Saturday.
And she added that she has requested the Acting Director of the Department of Labour and Training to reach out to Green Lantern owner Andre Woods in an effort to offer the Ministry’s assistance in registering those who will require employment upon the restaurant’s closure.
Minister Minors said, “I was saddened when I heard the news of the Green Lantern’s closure. This has been one of Bermuda’s institutions for 70 years, and it is disappointing to know that another long standing Bermudian owned business has been forced to close its doors due to this unforgiving economic climate.
“I, like thousands of Bermudians have patronized the Green Lantern over the years and was always struck by the hospitality that I received each time I visited this restaurant. They made you feel so welcome and the cuisine was quite simply ‘homely’ and filling, especially the coconut custard pie.
“My thoughts go out to Mr. Woods and all of the Green Lantern workers who suddenly find themselves out of work. It is my sincere hope that if they are seeking employment that they will register with the Department of Labour and Training so that we can assist where we can.”
And there are job opportunities according to Minister Minors.
She pointed out that the Ministry has reintroduced its 100 Waiter/Server programme, where the Ministry, the Bermuda Hotel Association, the Bermuda Hospitality Institute, and the Restaurant Division of the Chamber of Commerce are working in conjunction to fill 100 waiter/server positions within the hospitality industry.
Minister Minors reminded, “The waiter/server programme is open to all persons seeking to pursue a career as a waiter or server. No experience is required and the training programme is being offered at no cost to the trainee. Our goal is to reduce the number of waiter/server work permits by 100 via this programme. If they are interested, it is our hope that the staff at the Green Lantern will take advantage of this job opportunity.”
The deadline for applicants for the 100 Waiter/Server programme is February 22.
The demise of Bermuda is like watching a slow lingering death.
They own the building/property. They employ family. They have a steady stream of devoted patrons….I think they’re closing for other reasons…..Ashley is ready to retire and Anthony’s spent half his life there and wants to move on. The Burns family had a long innings, no one left in the family interested in running it.
How is the Parakeet doing ?
Um gonna miss that chocolate coconut cake…
The parakeet is closed. Like the rest of Bermuda will be in 18 months.
What do you mean CLOSED– Mr. Mongrels??
As in for the season or FOREVER?
forever
I believe the Paraquet closes every year at this time (for a few weeks) to paint, clean, staff vacation, upgrades etc…and getting the place ready for upcoming health department inspections. They aren’t closed for good, just tempoorarily.
Yeah, they do minor renovations all the time. No even just this type of year i thought, but still… i wouldnt believe it’s closed.
I DO however wish they’d bring back the bermuda map placemats
hehe Im sure it was for good financial reason, but i do miss those!
First of all . . . who is Anthony???????????? As far as I know there is no one at Green Lantern named Anthony . . . get your facts straight!!!! Secondly, typical Bermudian . . . gotta find something negative to gossip about . . . why can’t you just accept what was said!!!!!! Geessshhhh!!!!
@ HDMS…..oops I mean SMDH…okay okay its Andre…..I always get names wrong but it doesn’t change the facts and its not gossip.
Negative? Frankly i’d like teh story to be about the family who have done there time and are moving on than i would about economics of restaurants and hearing all the negative fingerpointing and buzz and foreigners…. THAT is where all the negativity in these threads is aimed at..
Noooo…. we will miss the Green Latern. Great food great people! It always seemed busy to me. As someone who works in the Bakery Lane area and eats there a few times a week I will miss them more than most. Please Bermy Cuisine, Art Mels, Speciality Inn, Paraquet or some place like that take over tis place. It won’t be the same…but at least it wont be gone.
The interesting thing is that Bermy Cuisine and Paraquet (havent been to the other two in ages) are staffed by a LOT of foreign workers. Personally i have no problem with this, if it is needed as a successful business model…
Changing times and necessities… not greedy owners.
only noting this because of all the foreign negativity that has been drummed up regarding BUzz
Small Bermudian businesses are falling like flies! This is the fourth small Bermudian business to close this week alone!!! It is just too expensive to run a small business in Bermuda anymore.
I count A & J’s, the Christian Book store, and now Green Lantern. What’s the 4th?
I understand the Body Shop made a decision to close its doors (or retire) and iStore in the mall closed this last week.
body shop, magic moments
Doesn’t help that Buzz is in the neighborhood too, I will miss those mega fish sandwiches…sigh
Amazing! I wonder what’s their secret of branching out while others are forced to shut down?
Foreigners ONLY
They should try what everyone else is doing, put the food out like a buffet where you pick up a little of everything… Bermudians love to eat.
Sure your not getting confused with Art Mels?
Thts correct. Buzz is just round the corner from green Latern. Imma miss tht place..
Buzz will have no pot washers shortly.
See what happens then.
LMAO!!
Nooooooooooooo!!!!!! This is a very sad day
HOLY CRAP!! That place has been around for YEARS!
Sigh…..sad times, sad times.
NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!
This is really sad news
Noooo my bacon cheese burgers!
WTH do they need so many Buzz in this area liek seriously they are just greedy…Will miss that good old hangova burgers…
The staff should have taken pay cuts so they could compete this the “Buzz Cafe” that open just around the corner from them.
Should the staff have also chipped together for a studio apartment & squashed themselves into it at night to sleep?
pay cut is better than no pay, isn’t it? although now they can just walk into Buzz and tell the manager “I want this foreigner’s job, thank you and pack up back home foreigner”.
I’m sure out of all the foreigners working in all the chains at least two of them have a work permit thats up in a few months. Its not up about telling the foreigner to scram its about telling the Bermudian to wait a few months & you’ll get a job but I doubt that happens.
No its about telling the possible bermudian employees to work the days and hours that these foreigners work and not suck their teeth wen told to put on a smile for customers and do a few extra tasks.
Ok great!! You sign up first and I will follow. 65 hour work week 6 days a week. Just great! Maybe just maybe I can find time for my son.gotta make sure he doesn’t end up a gang banger right?!
Maybe they think us Bermudians have relatives in other countries we can send our children to.
You are spot on!
So Sad! My sons love it there. We will not eat from Buzz even though it is around the corner!!!
Another piece of old Bermuda gone!
I didn’t like Buzz from day one……my nephew was hooked on Buzz like a crackhead…..I decided to make my nephew’s BLT at home so he can keep $5 in his pocket for something else.
Oh No, this cannot be…say it isn’t so Bermuda…
Unreal and so unfortunate…Darn It…I will miss my Saturday afternoon Lamb Stew, Peas & Rice and Vegetables…now where will I eat….dammit
Does Buzz really need to be in so many locations?
I’m really wearing thin on them, I must admit. How many shops do they have now? 7? 8?
Ten I can think of straight away but I think there are more.
BUZZ Restaurant Upper Level, Washington Mall
BUZZ Café Washington Mall
BUZZ Hamilton Pharmacy
Buzz Brown & Co.
Buzz 69 Pitts Bay Road 295.1723
BUZZ Dockyard
Buzz in AIG
Buzz in the College
Buzz in Bakery lane
Buzz at Tobacco Bay (Summer)
Buzz is all Foreign operated… There might be one or 2 Bermudians working out of some 20 or so foreigners in all….
It is owned by a Bermudian and Spouse.
So are many other businesses that follow the same employment strategy. Isn’t that peculiar
He must employ a lot more than 22 staff to run ten locations.
For sure…
Buzzzzzzz greedy
Don’t blame BUZZ…..It’s the peoples choice where to eat …PLUS THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO OPERATE COZ OF RIDICULOUS COST TO OPERATE IN BDA….LISTEN TO WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING …NOT THE GOVT. LIES
Choices? If I wanted to go to Buzz I’d go to the one near Miles. Or I’d walk a little further down the road (what is it – about 400m?) and go to the one in Brown & Co. I don’t need one to be on every corner – I /am/ capable of moving my feet.
Maybe this might make people realize why Minister Minors wanted an unskilled labors work permits moratorium.
Why? As always, your logic escapes me.
There is no logic. He’s a racist.
Is unskilled labors a race now?
You make it a racist discussion.
Why all the snide, and racist, comments about “all the employees sharing apartments” etc?
If I were as childish as you I could come up with a few unfair stereotypes about Bermudians too.
Saying the foreigners that do unskilled jobs or jobs that only require skills that can be taught onsite share apartments is not a slur. Being of mixed race I’ve heard many slurs but this is not one. This is a fact & if Bermudians were paid the wages employers paid foreigners gipping them on overtime they would have to share apartments also.
I could list all the racial slurs there are to further prove that your accusations are ridiculous but that would be inappropriate. Actually I can list one thats not so inappropriate & mentioned a lot by posters here. If I counted the amount of times I read the word lazy the word black & the word Bermudian strung together in a sentence here I would be counting till doomsday. Now that is a racial slur so why don’t you attack those individuals. The things that make you go HMMMMMM!
Yes they would have to share apartments, but if they must take normal bermuda wages then the businesses will go down like this one…
You can fight for the glory of the bermudian porter/cook all you want, and say they should be paid fairly, but at the end of the day that cost/income ratio is flawed and will take the whole business down with it.
you have two options, bermudian business hiring some foreign workers, or no bermudain business at all because it cannot afford to run.
Yes they would have to share apartments? You expect whole Bermudian families to share lodging with other Bermudian families? This isn’t the 1800s those times have past. We don’t need french quarters in Bermuda we need jobs for BERMUDIANS.
Yes the cost to income ratio is flawed but flooding the job market with foreign workers feeds these flaws & keeps them broken.
Bermudian business hiring some foreign workers is fine but thats not the reality. The reality is Bermudian business are hiring MANY foreign workers. As many as a 7 to 2 ratio of foreign workers to local ones. If you have lived here all your life you would notice the drastic change in the past 7 years with the foreign worker population & I’m not talking about IB workers.
The employers who are bringing in mass amounts of foreign workers are not the ones who are struggling. They’ve already made their money over & over again or come from old money. They don’t need to cut employee cost to make enough they just need to take a pay cut themselves. This is a load of crock Philip Barnett story of the $15 hamburger that these guys use. A $15 hamburger plus grats which majority goes to the employer makes loot. They don’t need to sell a $100 burger. Phil compares us to the U.S. but in the states they sell $3 burgers no grats & still stay in business.
Very True!!
Tommy is telling the truth.!!
Over employment of foreign workers means less jobs for nationals. We are supposed to have more foreign IB workers than foreign unskilled labors. During plp’s run along with immigration & some employers they’ve unbalanced this. Now a member of plp is trying to undo the tilt & this is a bad thing? We need many foreign IB workers but we don’t need many foreign menial workers. Unless of course a business owner is trying to build chains to push his competitors out of the market & out of business.
So blame the PLP and Dept of immigration. Get them to get their act together, after 14 years of incompetence. Don’t slur the individuals who live here.
I think you need to reread my post above yours mate. I did blame plp & Dept of immigration. I also blamed some employers because they trash Bermudians job applications or over embellish job requirements so they can lie to immigration about not finding Bermudian workers.
Saying the foreigners that do unskilled jobs or jobs that only require skills that can be taught onsite share apartments is not a slur. Being of mixed race I’ve heard many slurs but this is not one. This is a fact & if Bermudians were paid the wages employers paid foreigners gipping them on overtime they would have to share apartments also.
I could list all the racial slurs there are to further prove that your accusations are ridiculous but that would be inappropriate. Actually I can list one thats not so inappropriate & mentioned a lot by posters here. If I counted the amount of times I read the word lazy the word black & the word Bermudian strung together in a sentence here I would be counting till doomsday. Now that is a racial slur so why don’t you attack those individuals. The things that make you go HMMMMMM!
How exactly does an employer “over embellish” job requirements for a waiter? Or a sandwich chef? Enlighten us. Also, send a letter about it to the naive Dept Immigration who appear to get suckered by these “embellishments” you think exist.
The “6 to 8 people per apartment” thing is a slur, and it is racist, and it is also, most of the time, a lie. Burch came up with it a couple of years ago. It’s nonsense, designed (as much of his rhetoric is) to blame foreigners and expats for all the ills of the world.
The idea that Buzz only hires foreigners is also untrue. I buy sandwiches pretty regularly from a Buzz place that definitely has Bermudians employed there.
I looked through and didn’t see the words lazy, black, and Bermudian in the same sentence here at all, other than in your post above. But, since you bring it up, I agree that would be an unfair racial stereotype. Exactly like your stereotypes about how foreigners share apartments. Stupid, unfair racism.
In this case the stereotypes don’t matter anyway. What matters is that a dingy, old-fashioned, unfriendly restaurant lost customers and closed. The economy didn’t help. The competition didn’t help. The government didn’t help. But to start laying blame on a certain part sector of expats is, frankly, completely ridiculous.
Another thing. In one post you say that restaurant owners here should be charging $3 for a burger. Well, if you know how to do that, set yourself up as a restaurant owner. You would wipe the floor with the competition, the ones who have to pay the real costs of doing business in Bermuda. While you’re at it, make sure you only employ Bermudians, and make sure you pay them enough to buy or rent a nice apartment without sharing. Let me know when you’re open, I’ll be there every day to buy your $3 burgers.
@Rick
That is simply the best post I have read on here for a long, long time.
I think you may have missed an earlier post from dear Tommy, which is my personal favourite – “Maybe they think us Bermudians have relatives in other countries we can send our children to”
Shame on you Tommy, you should hang your head in shame
I hope you are right
As long as they’re making money and with Green Lantern out of the picture, they should easily be doing that. Very sad but it’s a sign of the times.
This is so sad. It was such a nice place to grab brunch and we will miss those fish sandwiches!
Hopefully somebody with some money reads this article and makes an effort to save these guys!
Buzz: I thought we didn’t allow franchises? crapy service from NON BERMUDIANS who speak little to no English. sooo expensive. frigging ridiculous!
Agreed. They don’t get my dollar. They have somehow beat the system to make a franchise with foreign workers. Thank the kids for buying all those 6 dollar smoothies after school.
WTH do u mean there is no reason to close?!?!?!?! THEY ARE CLOSING??!…Btw i have eaten buzz and although the food is ok its not consistant….and the ME NO SPAKA D ENGLISH GET ON MY DAMN NERVES everybody needs a job but it should be friggin mandatory to speak proper English before even applying for a job here
Did u have that problem a Green Lantern..? well stay out of Buzz…simple!
We have the same problem here in the States. In my opinion, anyone who goes to another country to work or live should have to learn their language before they’re allowed to move in. Nothing against any race or country, it only makes sense for all involved.
SHUT UP THE FOODS GOOD….THATS WHY THEY ARE GROWING….THERE IS NO REASON FOR GL TO CLOSE….THINK ABOUT WHY THEY ARE CLOSING
Buzz food is crap. It is cheap processed food. I used to eat there every day and now I try to avoid it at all costs. They charge almost $10 for a wrap that is cold in the middle because it is all pre-made and then refrigerated. There is so much MSG in their hot buffet food it is ridiculous. Nothing is fresh there and they are the most expensive place for lunch in town. Miles do Panini’s now and they are made fresh each day; and amazing. Also Tribe Road Kitchen probably has the best hot sandwiches on the island. Buzz needs to step up their game or they wont be able to support all those locations.
Or they need to hire foreigners
Its called preparation, not pre-made. They don’t make nothing, it’s all put together how you like it to be… The food is prepared ahead of time so you don’t have to wait as long. That’s what the Green Lantern should consider starting, a buffet style operation. Even if it’s only twice a week, their business would pick up, I guarantee the business would pick up… Look at the Market Place, Haywards in Warwick, Herrington Hundreds, Miles, Jamaican Grill, Yardy’s Kitchen, their all doing good business with the buffet… Just my observation.
Tribe Road Kitchen – yummmmmmmmmmm!
I think Philip Barnett & Craig Cannonier would disagree with your statement.
It’s not a franchise. It’s a chain.
Crapy service?
And Buzz is a local grown business – the franchise “law” is to prevent McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell from running rampant on our precious local businesses (saying that, KFC has proven that even with an “American franchise” it’s not all profits and happy meals).
Can’t say that I’m happy that the Green Lantern is closing either – but you can’t really compare a modern business model like Buzz to a traditional cafe style eatery. Look at Dorothy’s – they’re right beside at least one other cafe and they still do enough business to run a traditional “greasy spoon” and do well at it.
Things are tough all over – sad to see a real Bermudian fixture to go away.
Best burgers in the Island… mmMMM!
Wow Bermudians are so racist…
Bermuda doesn’t allow FOREIGN franchises. Bermudian omes are fine.
I stopped going to Buzz after they started opening everywhere. Sure competition is good, but seems a gready to want all the pie!
Nope, they just hire foreigners and pay them less while they sleep 6 to a household
What’s wrong with sleeping 6 to a household? Do you have any idea what it is like to have to support a family overseas? Good luck to them I say. Too many lazy, pot smoking Bermudians looking for the CEO job at XL. And spare me the I will work, but its tough, blah, blah, blah. Lazy and spoilt nation.
@ Baltic Fury , you want to go there about Bermudians????
Oh right. It’s ok to make racist slurs about asians sleeping 6 to a household, but we can’t make slurs about Bermudians. Of course.
Your the only one mentioning the word asian here. There are some europeans that work these jobs also. Are you stereotyping Rick?
Tommy, you and others here brought up the ‘sleeping 6 to a house’ or ’8 to a house’. That is a racial stereotype, although you now seem to be backtracking. It’s also inaccurate, a lie perpetrated by Burch a couple of years ago.
The reason the Green Latrine closed is because it was old, grubby, unfriendly and uncompetitive.
I typed that they stuff themselves in small apartments & never mentioned a number. Maybe that is stereotyping because not all non specialist foreign workers do this only a certain culture of foreign workers does. Now this doesn’t make my statement racial because I’m not attacking this race for that its just a fact. I know this is a fact about this culture because foreign workers I know from this culture have told me so nothing to do with Col. Burch’s statement. If your next question is how would some foreign workers from this culture know what the others do? Its because their community is highly knit & they know all the others working here & how they live. I have expressed my views to these people & frankly THEY DON’T CARE. They don’t think I’m racial because they know its true. Why do you think they are not defending themselves here? They read these blogs but they don’t phase them a bit. This is because their culture is built on exporting workers to send money back to their country. Their country’s economy depends on foreign workers & they can get jobs anywhere in the world with the connections they have. There’s more of these workers in Bermuda than any other foreign workers. What do you think this is doing to our already failing economy let alone our unemployment issue? I don’t despise them I just feel our island is to small for so many. The employers that are hiring so many of them are gaining from our lost & they don’t care. The reason they don’t care is because they have somewhere else to go once this island is in ruins. There are children on this island close to starvation that are without electricity or beds & go to school with the same set of close each day. The foreign workers children have more food than these children, clothing, beds & there own houses. I’ve seen these children’s eyes first hand when my child is eating something during lunch duty & I make my child give them part of lunch. What will these foreign workers give our children in the years to come & what will they give our unemployed? My & other local’s ancestors didn’t work blood sweat & tears putting up with segregation & abuse to be drowned in a flood of foreign workers. We need IB workers but we don’t need the others. I’m not a racist I’m a realist.
Do you have any idea what its like to support a family here with high rent, high electricity & high everything else? Have you ever gone into a home around the low income areas in bermuda? I know Bermudians who can’t afford to feed their children a nutritious meal & they sleep on floors & coaches because beds are expensive. Get off your high horse & meet the commoners they wouldn’t even dream of applying to XL because they know there limitations.
Also what’s wrong with pot smoking? Its better than getting drunk at a ritzy lounge everyday & cheaper.
Really? “Voice of Reason”, that is a racist comment.
Have you ever looked at the underlying reasons for sleeping 6 to a household? Those 6 persons do not have to pay rent, whilst at the same time getting paid low wages + gratuities. So, if Bermudians had their employers paying their rent, they too would be able to accept jobs with low paying wages + gratuities. Maybe we need to rethink minimum wage.
We do not have a minimum wage here. If we did, all those comments about foreigners working for less than Bermudians would be null and void.
Buzz will be remembered as “Green Lantern Buzzer”!
I bet Buzz takes over the Green Latern building. Christ, the are like Starbucks in Seattle, one on every bloody corner.
Or Tim Hortons in Canada lol
Yea but everyone loves Tim’s, I’m actually drinking some now lol.
Buzz has more spots then MarketPlace and thats a damn grocery store DUHH…..i JUST DONT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY NEED SO MANY JUST IN TOWN???
Because they make money hand over fist off the backs of their foreign workforces that they do not have to pay pension for, and they sleep them 6 or 8 to household.
What absolute racist crap you write.
No! They make money because Bermudians can’t cook and are too lazy to take a brown paper bag with a homemade sandwich a piece of fruit and tap water work for lunch… SMDH
lazy lol you mean rich!!!
True true!
God, I hate Tim’s… and I’m Canadian-Bermudian.
Buzz is miles better than them. Yeesh.
ummmm….no
you lost your mind, eh? not a chance in a thousand years.
Not saying I’m a fan of Buzz at all. But, gosh… it is one thing to visit and eat at Tim’s, but once you truly learn how low quality that place is.
Just. Nasty.
Look up the meaning of Franchise before you post. If Buzz is a franchise so must be market place and all the other stores that have locations around the island.
Arnold’s would definitely be a franchise then. They are not far behind in number of locations. Although their locations are much more spread out…
Buzz is not a franchise.
So if Buzz is so terribly overpriced, and its staff so rude and so language-challenged…and if Green Lantern was soooo good and the food was so reasonably-priced and the staff was just wonderful, tell me…why is Green Lantern going out of business again?
Gimme a break…
Thank you!
People dont blame the company… as is said many times, businesses are not created as charities. They are to make money..and as much money as possible.
If you think its crap then dont go there, but obviously they have an income/expense model that is working.
I will mis GL very much myself… this is very sad, but you cannot blame competition.. thats the nature of the world we live in.
If business are not created as charities why do so many feel they have to help third world people before locals & local economy?
Lay off the brownies Tommy, you’re not making any sense.
Why don’t I make sense? Isn’t all the mass employment of foreign workers for charity? It can’t be for the economy because most of the money they get doesn’t stay here.
How do you know about my brownies? Were you the one who stole my last batch? You must of ate them before your post about vacationing in Bermuda versus vacationing in Compton & didn’t save me a crumb.
I completely agree. I do not know why people are blaming Buzz and their ability to make money—it’s simple economics.
I’ve never liked either ones food or service but at least Green Lanterns owner miserable as is was loyal to local workers.
Never liked the food..
miserable owner..
and you dare to voice an opinion regarding its closing closing?
Don’t get me wrong I sympathize with those who lost their jobs. My opinion about green lanterns food & its owner doesn’t mean I’m not showing empathy for the loss. I did mention something positive about the owner & that was my main point.
OMG!!!wwwwhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy… I’m going to miss those well cheese burgers.
Very sad. I enjoyed their food. Another piece of Bermudian history gone. Vey sad.
I hope everyone is paying attention to this as there are more to come unfortnately….the local business community is suffering…..the business landscape in Bermuda will look completely different in 12months
And while this closes another buzz opens… on the back of foreign workers
Personally I think Buzz might be next.
Get real. GL has not changed in the 30 years I’ve known it. Same silverware, same glasses, same plates, same furnishing. Why blame Buzz?
You’ve answered your own question.
Aside: their furnishing has been changed in the last 30 years. Just an FYI.
My husband and I have our Friday date night dinner there twice a month and other meals in between. This is so sad on so many levels. I wish I had the funds to assist in keeping an iconic restaurant open for business.
I wonder what OBA supporters have to say about this? Companies like Buzz they encourage… bringing in expats to work, pay rents and contribute to the economy.
And besides, dont most people on these blogs complain about crappy Bermudian service?
LMAO, you may be on to something.
I won’t say that it’s completely a cut and dried affair. Free enterprise is all about doing the best that you can with the resources that are available to you. It’s not like work permits are an easy thing to get if there are lots of people clamoring for these types of jobs – there simply hasn’t been demand at this level by locals willing to work in service jobs like these. So the owners go to the foreign work pool and get their employees from abroad.
Given the right time, place and people, Green Lantern could have been the “Buzz” of Bermuda. But they chose to stay small and the more ambitious business owner has unfortunately built their own empire over top of the crumbling city.
Can’t say that I like it – but it is a free market economy. And those with the ambition and vision will be the victorious.
OBA, BDA, PLP, QWERTY party – doesn’t matter. When things are good, people tend to forget about the impending storm until it hits.
How did this become an OBA thing – they are not in power… Anyway, Buzz can only hire foreign workers if the PLP Government, Department of Immigration says they can. So before blaming Buzz, ask the PLP why they have issued so many work permits.
I see a lot of complaining yet how many of you actually ate there within the last month? How many times have you frequented Buzz in that same time period? Keep up with the times or step aside.
Apart from this food that is so great. The GL has nothing that attracts patrons. No establishment that sells food should go out of business. Could it be that the owners were more interested in getting as much as possible for as little as possible?
The Jamaica Grille is spreading it’s wings. Sorry G L, you had 70 years. You were weighed in the balance and found wanting.
I remember 70′s GL Beefpie 50cents and Fries 25cents and vanilla coke 50cents, burgers 1 dollar and broasted chicken 10piece for 5 dollars…..
Oh the good days! 25c fries! I used to love. The TV in the top corner, the jar candy, and just the feeling I remember as a child.
It is truly sad that the GL is closing. I wish that I had patronized the restaurant more often than I have. I think the location may have been an issue for them. Also, since they are a bit out of the way, a lot of the business people in town do not frequent the spot. It’s sad that it’s closing but I don’t think Buzz is to blame.
Also, there’s no law against a Bermudian food chain. The law is against bringing in a foreign food franchise/chain like McDonald’s or Taco Bell. The only foreign food chain that is allowed to operate in Bermuda is KFC because they opened their restaurant the year before the law was passed.
The year before? More like 40 years before!
I don’t get what Buzz has to do with Green Lantern closing. I don’t eat at either establishment. You can’t blame Buzz for doing well, obviously they are doing something right because it’s the public that that keep them in business. Green Lantern must have missed the mark somehow. Also some of you need to look up the definition of a “Franchise” Buzz is a chain.
This is called competition. Green latern wait staff were often rude unless you were a regular and I felt as a white person a few were anti white. I loved their bacon egg cheese but would only do take out. Cant blame buzz. I don’t like buzz at all. I don’t know how they hardly have any bermudians, but I assume it is because bermudians don’t want the job. Bermudians need to wake up and recognise that service is not subservience!
Interesting that you would make that note about wait staff being anti white. Had the same experience some time ago. Blatently racist. Stupid of them really. Slow service to whites meant longer turnover times for tables which meant less business for them.
No problem to me. I never went back after that day. Nice to have choices. The good restaurants will survive.
lolololol
anti-white eh? interesting…. did you get offended when they offered you crackers with your soup?
In my opinion,most of the staff were ok with me, but you could tell how some of them interacted with their black clientel that there was a “service bias”
JIM BEAN YOU ARE WRONG THE STAFF THERE WERE ALWAYS POLITE AND READY TO SERVE WITH SPEED AND COURTESY AND GUESS WHAT I AM WHITE – I AM NOT REALLY UNDERSTANDING HOW COLOR GOT IN THIS BUT MAYBE IT WAS YOU THAT WAS RUDE
I wasn’t going to bring this up Jim, but now you have I have to agree and share my experience.
I’m black and took my white girlfriend there for a meal (about 6 years ago)and we left after the appetizer as the staff stared at us and we heard a loud comment made by one of the staff about how I should “know my place and date a black girl” and “”she” was only slumming it till a nice white boy came along”
We’ve been married 3 years in July, but have always thanked the Lord she realised this was a small minded bigot speaking.
more potwasher jobs gone wow!
As my father used to call it “The Green Latrine” it sure was an institution. I used to go there in the 80′s as a teenager, but stopped going when I noticed I was being somewhat ignored and had to make an real effort to get served. I was not the only one. A friend, who is in hospitality, on one visit had waited long enough and preceded to get up and take orders! Sorry to see it go, but not good service – maybe depending on who you were…
You know what makes me mad is, is that the government keeps approving all these Buzz Cafes of which i’ve probably seen 2 Bermudians Working there, and of which they raise their prices like every month and let the little Bermuda Owned businesses fail and close….Now i understand that Buzz is like everyone else trying to make a dollar, but this should never happen…. wake UP please you want the people of bermuda to support you as a government…well news flash the people of bermuda want government to support us. Stop allowing buzz to employ all these foreigners for jobs bermudians can do….10 Buzz Cafes at least 3 employees at each equals 30 employed bermudians. Now keep in mind all the blame is not to be placed on Buzz but placing one just feet away certainly did not help the situation.
70 years of bermuda owned and operated service gone down the drain….I know your all probably on your news years resolution health kicks but go support Green Lanter Have a Burger or Fish Sandwhich or ask for a grilled hotdog ‘with love’
#lostTreasures
or perhaps businesses need to keep evolving with the times. I hope retailers are paying attention.. evolve with the times or fail.
While the theory is good, the employed bermudians would have to take teh same pay as teh foreigners, which they wont for a variety of reasons…
At the end of the day buzz is successful because it makes more than it spends. If you up the wages on those 30 new bermudian workers, the scale shifts and then you have another business down the toilet.
Soon there will be only tumble weeds blowing across the island as Bermuda goes into an unrecoverable PLP abyss.
Quality of Food wasn’t A+, so folk took their dollar elsewhere…..Service Sucked at times……..Thier own demise not the Govt’s!
WE love to put blame on others for self failure!!
This is a sad day to us all.
Green Lantern, a place that was like family!
ya one fat b!t@h
Upsetting.
all u wanna eat is a chicken fillet w/cheese bacon fonions, mayo & tomato #FatPplSh1t
Are you serious? People actually eat there and love that place? I won’t say much because I know bernews screens comments like crazy now but when I went in there I almost threw up at what I saw. I turned and left without ordering anything. Good riddance. I’d eat at Buzz aka Bermuda’s Starbucks over them any-day.
I will miss this place.
I have been going here since i was a child. I know everyone there. This is a sad day for sure… no more Jamaican patties!!!
Damn you PLP…
What plp has to do with this?
You sound like people who blame expats for taking all the CEO jobs when they dont even have a uni degree.
Buzz had a good business plan and model…. In business you need to constantly adapt and try to grow.. just looking at the GL seems like they aint changed in 70 yrs..
Wicky Choopa. Buzz may have a good business plan but GL had tradition there are many restaurants who have existed for more than 70 years and still have a popular famous item on their menu that people just can’t get enough of. People now days don’t seem to appreciate a good cooked meal. Oh Buzz business plan is hire cheap foreign labor..
Yeah… what does the PLP have to do with the currently horrible economy.. LOL are you serious ?! LOL
Bernews, what does it mean when the icon next to one poster’s name is the exact same as another?
Although it is a sad day for a Bermudian owned business to go down, where were all of you when they needed the patronage?
Also don’t beat down another business owner (BUZZ) for picking up the slack and also thriving. You don’t know the circumstances as to why this Bermudian establishment is going out of business.
The owner clearly states why they are shutting ““The current economic climate has made it impossible for us to sustain as a viable entity. We’ve avoided this decision for as long as possible, but unfortunately this is what it has come to.”
I was right here and I have been a patron there since i was knee high to a grass hopper, and my dad would get my sisters and I a cheeseburger and milk shake every Fiday during the summer holidays!! I loved them and still do! (yes they aren’t as good as they used to be but still love em). It was a huge tradition for us and a memory that I WILL ALWAYS share with my Dad. I have also never stopped supporting them and buying their food to the point where they knew exactly who was calling!! I love the “Green Latreen” and will miss them dearly!!! So sad to see you go. I Want my last cheeseburger, bacon fried onions with Mayo and Ketchup, spicey fries and Chocolate milks shake!! I will miss you
I think the only person that has made any real sense here was “All clogged up”. If it was really just the economy that has caused the closure, BUZZ would not be opening at more and more venues. But when I think of BUZZ I think of the saying “Greedy killed pig”.
I have no doubt that once they are unable to import migrant workers and then exploit them once they get to Bermuda, they too will fold.
By the way, over the years several iconic Bermudian businesses have closed their doors, even during the wonderful years of UBP rule, but there was little concern at the time.
I have no doubt that Andre and family have made a sound business decision. It was the family’s business acumen they kept them going for 70 years.
I’m sure the BUZZ shareholders are on this site defending their company using numerous alises. Not long ago, one of them was on Sherri J’s show downing Bermudian workers.
It would not surprise if now I’ll start reading people defending BUZZ because of my comments. I know the nature of the beasts who comment on these blogs.
How do we know that the great defender and all clogged up are not one and the same person?
How does LaVerne know that Buzz will not be opening any more shops?
Could it be that LaVerne is also a spawn of the Beast? She “Knows the nature of the beasts.”
LaVerne, you said “I have no doubt that once they are unable to import migrant workers and then exploit them once they get to Bermuda, they too will fold.”
If I am reading that correctly, you are saying that if they hire Bermudians, they too will fold.
That isn’t saying much for the Bermudian worker.
Ah..really what you’re saying is that Bermudian immigration policy is rewarding mediocrity.
I don’t really care for Buzz, but they offer choice and reasonable food. I’m really sorry about the GL, the food is what it is, but at the end of the day people’s tastes are changing. If the GL is unsustainable in this climate, it’s sad but you can’t lay the blame at Buzz.
IF YOU WANT TO LAY BLAME, LAY IT AT THE DOOR OF THE PLP WHO HAVE SUCKED THE LIFE, LIQUIDITY AND CONFIDENCE OUT OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
Apologies for shouting.
Funny.. as noted you say that if buzz hires bermudians it too will go down?? what are you saying about bermudians then? Are you saying you’d rather a business die than hire foreigners? At least you have blatantly admitted one major factor in green lanterns demise.
As for there not being concern during the UBP’s years, i wouldnt say it was lack of concern, i would say it was lack of blogs/media for people to comment on.
By the way, Green Lantern has closed, but Bernews is alive and well and providing much needed competition to the Royal Gazette and the Bermuda Sun. Who would have thought that a black woman could outsmart a white man? Stay with it Patricia.
It’s all about race isn’t it LaVerne.
Jesus, you’re an obnoxious, bitter, twisted woman.
Yes that’s it LaVerne, it is all about trying to outsmart each other based on race. That attitude is why we are Socially, Economically and Culturally polarized on this Island. And despite the bs that comes from the PLP, you can see from the above post that one of their avid supporters ,party members and a former senator not only embraces the racial divide on this Island, she practices and she encourages others to partake in it!? I thought the first P in the PLP stands for progressive. For what ever reason this business has closed that is their issue and their decision at the end of the day. Things change for good and bad, but if we continue to have an attituted like LaVerne, it will always be change for the latter? Why because everything she say’s and does is vindictive and aimed at a person of a particular race or color. If we all behaved like that then we would have a civil war based on race here in Bermuda. Her intent is malicious and I have never seen or heard anything from her that indicates she serves the public in a good way. Actually can anyone here on this blog name one constructive and good thing LaVerne has said or done for the “whole” community recently? At the end of the day did are tax dollars not pay her for years?
Yeah Laverne….some of us know the history, the forced closure of the other online news organization to benefit Bernews and some of us know who the Investors in Bernews are and the influence they once yielded.
In any event, I have no qualms with Bernews, I actually like Bernews as I favor free market capitalism.
So please don’t try to glorify some black woman outsmarting a white man….
Leave the race card home for a second… damn..
LAVERNE yOU ARE SO RACIAL I AM GONNA PRAY FOR YOU LADY.YOU WORK FOR THE UNION AND YOU ARE ALWAYS ON EVERY TALK SHOW SEVERAL TIMES A DAY AND NOW YOU ARE ON BERNEWS ISNT THAT SPREADING YOURSELF THIN
Sometimes LVF…
Get on with the work that MY UNION DUES PAY YOU FOR!
You are a disgrace to the black community spouting racist nonsense like this
And I DON”T apologise for shouting
Well everyone stay home and cook your own meals. We have strayed from a good home cooked meal anyway. Leave eating out for special occasions. Actually the time is now for food from the garden and us women back in the kitchen.
Hey Ya’ll Rozzie’s Spotlight Cafe’ is just around the corner accross from the new BDA GAS building…..good Mac & Cheese, BDA Fish and Fried/BBQ chicken legs, coleslaw and all 2 employees are BERMUDIAN….Try her out!
Big Up to Spotlight!
Its sad to see GL close but unfortunately the food was slipping for some time now imo and MORE IMPORTANTLY IF YOU DON’T CHANGE WITH THE TIMES YOU GET LEFT BEHIND.
Everytime i went to green lantern I got ignored also , I thought it was just me ? I never went back it left a bad taste in my mouth and realized that racism goes both ways I have ” no doubt about that ” Sad way to run a business ,I have only been to Buzz a few times but they did not ignore me I left with a smile and yes I happen to be white .
My experience too. I was not welcome, and my dollar is as good as the next man’s, or so I thought. Too bad, they are closed now.
The 2 times i went there i felt the same. Im sorry, but when a restaurant cant even cook pancakes properly, something is wrong. I am so tired of the crappy customer service throughout the island! This includes both. Locals and foreigners.
If I still resided on the Island, I would boycott Buzz and all these new places in favor of the GL and our old family owned Bermudian restaurants and shops. Is there an awareness group that promotes this? I know it probably isn’t convenient, but money spent elsewhere is causing these Landmark closures.
Why are all these exploited foreign workers so happy friendly and providing great service? Do they know something we don’t,? and our peeps are broke miserable. , murdering each other robbing , and the best at domestic violence ,lots of Mamas with fatherless sons and daughters , maybe when we start to see exploited Bermudians we will kno we have arrived. Lots of questions to be answered. Honk if you have been exploited lately!
@Flip . . . I wasn’t going to reply when I read your first comment but seemingly you were itching for someone, anyone to reply . . . my advice to you regarding your question is to do some research on the countries that these foreign workers are coming from and what they are used to!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I came from absolutely nothing where my dollar is not worth much and came to a place where I amke almost 5 times what I would make at home . . . I would be happy and smiling to!!!!!
But the work has to be done and the sacrifices have to be made ,what are we saying we can’t make sacrifices too?
I too am sorry GL is closing but personally haven’t eaten there in years. However, is it really necessary to display such nasty and xenophobic attitudes towards another successful business which is owned by a BERMUDIAN and a spouse. You people are ignorant. The bottom line is if half of those that posted here had purchased from GL in the past month, they may not have had to shut down. It is ridiculous to blame a competing business for another business’ failure, unless you don’t really understand how the free market works.
BTW – I rarely got to Buzz and have no idea who the actual owners are, however one of them is clearly ONE of us and if you don’t like their food, so be it, but it is idiotic, but sad to say typical these days, to criticize their success.
You are absolutely right, Ronnie. These guys don’t have a clue. Green Lantern did not evolve and is now paying the price for it.
And Buzz is not to blame….their strategy exacerbated the situation but by no means did not cause GL demise…
People are not eating like that as much anymore.
It is nothing less than insane that people are blaming Buzz for this. Are the importers of the first cars the whole reason the railway went out of business? Did the installation of indoor plumbing cause the cesspit emptier guy to go broke? Businesses change. Buzz is an annoying place in my opinion, but you can pick something up real fast there. Green Lantern is a special place yes – but it wasn’t ever known as fast food. I’ve been going there for over 40 years and will be there this week for one last time. I’ll miss it but perhaps it had its moment. Perhaps the family who owns the building are thinking of selling the property for a few million (OMG what a terrible thought) because their kids no longer want to run the business. Perhaps they can’t stand the thought of some new business opening there. Buzz???
if you live in the 21st century then the 21st century will grab you. some people like change, and other are scared of change. change is hopefully to move forward. unfortunately it is a sign of the times.a restaurant such as the GL would have difficulty in any society thats moving at warp speed.people want to be in and out when getting on the run food, not waiting like in the bank at lunchtime when all the tellers are out, eating at buzz:)
Buzz secret is no secret its cheap foreign labor.. And taken as many shortcuts as possible that’s why their food is crap. Cheap ingredients etc. Their Fraps are good though.
Good Riddance to the Green Lantern, the place sucked, shocking service, poor quality food & overpriced. Wont be missed by me
Wake up people!!!! If a business is closing in an area where one has just opened, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the one closing clearly is lacking something.
Stop hating on Buzz, it’s not their fault or the workers. A lot of posts on this page are extremely ignorant. Shame on you
I agree with Notorious. People are bi!ching about Buzz but at least every Buzz I have went to is clean. Not to be rude but Green Latern looks like it needs a good scrubbing. I hope that comment doesn’t get censored because they are a place that served the public so the truth needs to be told-that could have been part of their demise. As for Buzz, I know the owner and I’m personally not exactly a fan of his but I have to admire his business sense. Nobody is twisting anyone’s arm and forcing them to patronize Buzz.
The prices can’t be that high if people go back time and time again, huh? The owner was smart-his intent was to cater to the ex-pat crowd who are used to these types of restaurants/cafes back home and it seems as a happy side effect it exploded with the Bermudian crowd who before this had to wait until we took a trip for the food/frapps/lattes, etc. that Buzz sells. Before Buzz stuff like this was a treat we’d have to wait to get someplace like Starbucks overseas whereas we can now get this stuff any time we want.
Many of his staff seem to be from Eastern Europe and aren’t exactly the friendliest people but they don’t seem to be rude, either-also keep in mind that we Bermudians seem to be super-sensitive to what we perceive to be rudeness. I personally patronize the Buzz in Hamilton Pharmacy and the staff there seem to be the nicest-they’re actually pretty friendly. Anyway, it’s not fair to say that the owners of Buzz shouldn’t open more locations and blame them for putting other restaurants out of business. If the competiton doesn’t step up its game to stay in business then that’s just tough for them. This is a free country and free enterprise is the name of the game.
Mayan…..I think you and other’s have missed the point. I’ve been eating at Green Latern since the 1960s when I was a young boy and my parents twice monthly trip to Hamilton in my Grandfather’s car which my father borrowed especially for this bi-monthly shopping trip to Hamilton which always ended with a late lunch at Green Lantern. My father had built his house himself and therefore could not afford a car, yes back in the day our parents sacrficed for their homes. As a young boy this was the hi-light of my week. I could order what ever I wanted (with in reason) and I always got their delicious milk shakes, made the old fashion way and are still made that way today. I’m sure there are many Bermudians that have similare stories to tell, but I must say that I am shocked at the closure. I still eat at Green Lantern and always enjoy their homestyle Bermudian dishes and their burgers aren’t bad either. I can think of few other restaurants where I can take my wife and kids, get a good dinner with my family and walk out having spent less than fifty dollars for a meal for a family of four.
The staff at Green Lantern have always been pleasant, friendly and very accommodating so I don’t understand Mayan’s complaint. Mayan may have had one bad experience or maybe your not familier with local cuisine, but I have decided to stop supporting businesses like Buzz and there are others like Buzz which hire mainly foreign staff and undercut local restaurants that have all local staff like Green Lantern. Why? Because It is obviously cheaper to hire foreign staff than hire Bermudians and I’m tired of hearing employers complain about Bermudians; I have run two companies for many years with only Bermudian employees and only Bermudians know how to get the best out of Bermudians. If you are unable to run your company with Bermudian staff then maybe it is you that is the problem, not your staff.
Bermudians if you don’t want to see Bermudian businesses go under; stop supportting businesses that don’t hire Bermudians. I have recently taken note that all the litle convenience stores that used to be Mom and Pop run stores all over the island have been slowly bought up by Belvin’s. I have yet To see any local staff in these stores. Please look around you it is happening all over the island. The landscaping companies are other ones; can’t hire locals? then maybe it is your management skills that is the problem. Any idiot can order around someone that has just stepped off a flight from a country that has no employment opportunities at all and will virtually jump off a cliff if it means he can send a few dollars back to his hungry and struggling family back home. Bermudians make great employees, but you need to know how to manage them. How do I know? Because I used to be an employee and I have also been an employer and I’m Bermudian. I can also tell you that there are some Bermudians that can work twelve hour days and there are some that can only work a five hour day only. This little piece of information was the key to the success of my companies.
Bermudians need to stop supporting these businesses that avoid hiring local staff and Bermudians themselves need to work harder and spend less on foolish pleasures……Hard work is food for your soul.
Thank you Andre and all the staff of Green Lantern for the many great meals and laughs, my wife and I will be there this Saturday for “the last supper” and my last Green Lanterm chocolate milk shake. We will miss you so much.
I avoid patronizing business owned or run by PLP supporters.
Please read the above posts: White Bermudians were not welcome there!!!
@willsee……..”White Bermudians were not welcome there” What a load of rubbish. Of course white Bermudians were welcomed there, if they weren’t why would they continue to go back there over and over again.
Why must peaple like you have to constantly bring race in to everything. This is about the closure of a 70 year old Bermudian business. I have seen both black and white Bermudians eating there since the 1960s, so stop spouting your racial garbage.
Eastern,
Just my perception of what I saw and atittudes received when I went in
there.I am not stupid. I saw how the staff interacted with Black people and then me. wether they knew them or not. I do not think every time I get poor service/attitudes from my fellow Bermudians that race is involved.
@ WillSee: I find people treat me the way I treat them, even more to the point, I treat people the way I expect to be treated. If you did not get good service and saw the staff treating others differently, perhaps it had more to do with your expectations and your attitude than anything else.
It is difficult to express my sadness at the passing of Green Lantern. I didn’t go often, although I have been in the last month and plan to go again before the last day, but I was always assured of friendly service, a decent meal and the possibility of a great dessert. I say possibility because I can no longer squander my calories as I used to. That’s why, although I love their milk shakes, I haven’t had one in years. Same for their bacon cheese burgers. However, they are one of the few places that does seasoned fries the way I like them. I will miss that special treat. Buzz will never measure up to THAT!
Forgot to mention that I have been going there for nearly 60 years, since I was a very little child – my dad loved their fish-cakes. I still do. They were the place to go when I was at Berkeley, and many a date evening began or ended there. I took my children and my grandchildren there. Will be sure to take my great-grandson before D-day.
No disrespect but the days you speak of are long gone. However, you bring up what might be part of the problem in that maybe many people of the older generation who patronized GL are either no longer with us or due to old age have to watch their pennies and don’t eat out as much. The younger, fast food crowd just aren’t interested in eating in places like GL.
I am very familiar with Bermudian cuisine because I am a Bermudian! My problem was with the cleanliness of the place. I’m not one of those Bermudians who gets bent out of shape if someone doesn’t ‘Good Morning’ me to death so service isn’t really that big of a deal to me-I didn’t have a problem with that. However, I don’t want to eat out somewhere that is shabby, grungy or dirty. Like ‘Notorious’, I wasn’t too impressed by what I saw and-Bermudian institution or not-it just wasn’t a place I wanted to eat from…
The green lantern was a shack.
LaVerne means Springtime. She is certainly the basis upon which Racial and Gender bias are grown. Can she ever speak without sowing a seed of HATE?
Here we have her egging a fight. Patrice a black woman up against a white man. “Go get him Patrice.” Shame on you LaVemon
Reading these comments makes me feel like the smartest person in Bermuda, thank you
PLP destroys everything – get rid of them and the island will flourish! That’s all I’m sayin…
Take my son their all the time cor lunch..everyone needs to go there now nd buy something, even if a cup of coffee nd let them go out with a bang. Stop patronizing Buzz who has a place behind them who does not employ Bermudians. We r losing more nd more Bermuda..
Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) should start seminars for small businesses on how to innovate during this economic downturn! the country needs small businesses to grow the economy, you loose them you loose recovery
Another thing that the GL depended on was trade from construction workers whose companies are/were in that area. The construction trade has been depressed for almost four years here, maybe longer, but when those lot were your bread and butter, it’s a logical conclusion. I’ve also heard that it’s family owned and run, and those doing most of the ‘running’ of the palce are ready for retirement, and the next generations don’t necessarily want to be in the business. A shame, no matter how you look at it, but don’t hate on Buzz, they’re only doing what they have to in order to make a profit. In the same position, I bet you’d do the same. Businesses aren’t charities and they have to run as efficiently as possible.
I remember some time back I was chatting with the owner of the car wash in town, and he was saying how he was having a hard time with his Bermudian staff. Mind you, that was before the economy was this bad, but nonetheless when you have a country as spoiled as we are, what are businesses meant to do?
We are in tough times for sure, but until Bermudians are actually stepping up to the plate and clamoring for the jobs held by Asian foreign workers, then it’s just plain xenophobic hatemongering that I see a lot of on this post…so step up or shut up, I say.
The simple truth and this is what people like Laverne, Min Minors and others don’t want to hear…
If you run your business using 100% Bermudian labour, your business will fail…
The labour mindset, and I am talking a particular demographic, have a different attitude relative to work. If you are using Bermudian professional staff who have been exposed, you will be alright…but if your business relies on and uses exclusively the demographic that typically earns less than $18-20 per hour, your business will fail…
Why?
1) the simple cost of insurance and taxes on part time or casual work is disproportionately weighted. These guys don’t want to work 40 or 50 hour work weeks. They want 20-25 hours per week. But the fixed costs of benefits cannot be made when you only have access to the labor for 20-25 hours. You need them to work 40+ hours to make it worthwhile. Some call this “exploitation” to expect that employees work 40 or maybe 50 hours per week…
2) Bermudians of this demographic do not typically respect time, or communication. Because so many are strapped financially with poor credit, they have prepay phones and when you want to call them for work etc / change in plans etc – they can’t be reached! Because the prepay phones are not funded. Home phones are a thing of the past as many of them are transient in their living arrangements due to their financial situations.
3) Work is viewed as a complement to their personal schedules. Again the individuals of this social strata are reliant on other elements of the system ie. Financial Assistance, Family Court, Social Services etc. These meetings and court appearances are always required during the billable / employable time of the employer. So you can have an employee with a few children that needs at least 4-6 hours off per week at attend to social / personal demands. This is in addition to the lunch hour time, which he/she does not understand should be used for such appointments. And most often, the notice time of the appointment is the morning of!
4) this is going to sound cold and callous particularly as a single parent myself….but a large number of workers, the women particularly, are single mothers with little to no support…with two to three children with limited cash, no food, no phone, no transporation, social services on her back, housing issues, etc these employees end up being unreliable due simply to the demands of their lives. You can’t rely on her to be where she has to be consistently and when she fails, your business fails. Your business can’t be run like that!
5) the callous nature. When a relationship turns bad, few workers consider “What did I do wrong? Its always “what the employer did to me”. They poison other staff and clients where you end up with a cancerous tumour in your organization and when they leave, they feel justified in trying to take your clients and/or staff with them whereever they are going…and very often leave loudly and crudely.
6) Sense of choice. Because we have been spoiled for so long, and even though we are unemployed now, there lingers a sense that work will be according to our terms…
“I’m on a bike, I’m not riding all the way down there”. “Give me some work in Somerset”
“Tomorrow is my birthday. I don’t work on my birthday for no body. Never have. Never will, so-n-so didn’t tell you?”
“In order for me to go do that job, I need some gas” (that you need to pay for)
“When you come, can you bring us lunch?”
“I’m finished work now, can I get paid for it today, cause I need to do ……”
“I didn’t think you would mind that I brought my children, boyfriend, sister with me to work” “I needed some help”
Calls out sick on the Tuesday, the day after a holiday. But does not call or email on the Wednesday or Thursday. No reply to calls from Employer. And shows up Friday like nothing ever happened. “Whats wrong? I told you on Tuesday I was sick.”
“I didn’t realize I had to wear the uniform you gave me everyday. I didn’t get to the laundry this weekend. I don’t have no money for washing.”
“When I leave, I am taking “MY” clients with me”
“Tomorrow I just need a day off.” Said at 4pm on the day before as you are pushing to finish a big contract! This is with a full time 9-5 contract in place!
“Shows up to collect payroll at 3pm when he has called out sick for the last 3 days and says “I was sick for 3 days. I have doctors note. You need to pay me.” But you have only been working here for 6 weeks and are not eligible for sick leave!
Its a difficult call. I am a Bermudian and I manage a small business entirely dependent on Bermudian workers. I am committed to that and work with Labour and Training to keep it going…but even when they tell you that a lot of these people that the Minister wants to force the employers to hire are “unemployable” – what is the employer to do? I’ll tell you. Close up shop cause the stress is just not worth it. And the end result is that no one gets a job. But the Employer will be alright because he has the money / contacts / education to move onto something else! So the loser in all of this is the unskilled, untrained, Bermudian worker. I know this will get a lot of licks but I speak from the heart and with more than 15 years experience in managing a small business with a heavy reliance on Bermudian workers! You have to see and live it to believe it. Until Bermudians and its leaders do something to change the mindset of this strata in the economy, they will remain “unemployable”
Excellent post. Put this in a letter to the editor
As you say your business is totally run by Bermudian staff are you saying that your business is doomed to fail? You might find that in this economy there are many laid off people looking for work that would not be classified in the same demographic that you refer to and would have a better work ethic. Times are different now.
Thats what we thought too. But this group is ready to wait for the return of the glory days rather than settle for what is available right now. “I may be hurting but I will wait it out. I am not working for that.” I tell no lies. And most of them to tell the truth have never been properly trained as to what is acceptable and what is unacceptable behaviour. YOU have a system with enablers that accepts poor employee performance – simply look at the drunken bus driver, the drunken sailor who crashed the ferry, the man who called in sick but worked somewhere else..disruptive impromtu meetings called and attended without any warning to business…this is all seen as acceptable behaviour – publicised greatly. So when the private sector says “no, that won’t work” the Employer is ostracised…
Famous Jamaican proverb – “A man with a full belly makes a weak revolutionary.” The same applies here. When you have a man who has earned consistently $1500 per week for the last decade as a painter and/or construction labourer, who travels quarterly and drives nicely, it is not potwashing that he will do to earn $500 per week. He will simply “wait it out”.
He will wait for the foreigners to leave rather or the economy to return rather than take on a job that is “beneath” him and worse yet where the work is allocated by a person that looks like him. Thats another problem these workers have. They will receive instruction and reprimand a lot better from Mr. Dunkley, lets say than they do from Mrs. Greaves!
I could go on all day…but the problems relative to the unemployable are deeply entrenched and go beyond the “retraining” that is pushed. It requires an entire mindset shift, a real cultural readjustment – a week in the life a Filipino in the Phillipines to fully understand – not 30 hours teaching people which fork is the salad fork!
thats what I am talking about! right on
30 hours teaching people which fork is the salad fork! What type of condescending trash is this? How many Bermudians do you think earn $1500 per week? Construction workers deserve that pay because there’s far & few that will shovel screenings in the BDA summer sun. Im sure if I took a trip to the Phillipines I would learn what I know already the ones that need money there don’t receive it & the ones who don’t work abroad to help their family who already has. They don’t care about their poor & they don’t care about making other countries poor either.
Get educated people!
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/02/23/11/wb-says-philippine-poor-do-not-feel-economic-gains
Great Post,right on.
The best letter I have read in a long time. It surely speaks the truth about the attitude of Bermudian workers
Make no mistake…my posting does not apply to all Bermudian workers. There are several in professional positions with exposure and education who were raised that epitomize everything that we would want our workforce to be. However, unfortunately, there exists this social strata – the unemployable -that simply do not fit anymore in what Bermuda Inc has become…They are a drag on our economy and present a huge social, financial and security cost to the country. How do we fix or elevate it? I don’t have that answer but it certainly exists. This stuff is not easy to say but it kills me when I hear the rantings of people demanding jobs when they have no clue that the job requires more than a Bermuda passport. It requires the right attitude. A “can-do”/ “Will do” attitude. You know it when you see it. Compare the servers at the GL vs that at Buzz. The difference would be starkling.
I spilled a bit of coffee on the floor in Buzz Bakery Lane on Thursday and the staff were there to help clean it up before I even got to the cash register…At the GL, they would have handed ME the mop! That’s the difference!
My favourite happened to a friend of mine:
Friend – Hey “Bob” why are you so late, you should have been here at 8.30
Bob – I was gettin um haircut!
Friend – WHAT! You can’t just go get a haircut whenever you want! Go after work or on a weekend!
Bob – NOPE – It grows in your time, so I’m gettin it cut in your time!
A true story
Sorry to hear that Green Lantern is closing, the food (variety of home cooked Bermudian dishes), staff and overall atmosphere are going to be a miss.
I personally know the owners of Green Lantern and Buzz, I think this could have been prevented (if the business wanted to remain open and ride through the economic downturn) if the Government placed a restriction on the number of locations operated by Buzz, which would give other restaurants an opportunity and provide a variety of food for locals and tourist alike. When Buzz first opened it was a great place to eat, but now I have lost interest, many of the staff cannot understand your orders, some of their staff members are not pleasant and their prices are absolutely ridiculous.
Usually I would support a friends and/or their families business, but since September 2011, I have refused to purchase anything at any Buzz location and encourage my family to do the same would. I am sorry but Buzz needs to BuzzOff and allow other small restaurants and/or cafes to have a slice of the pie.
No. That’s incorrect. What you are asking for is Government interference in an industry. You’re asking for Government to protect businesses that fail to move with the times. You’re asking for business success to be capped!!
This idiot protectionism has already destroyed the real estate market, and by extension construction/building supplies and no-one is lending. It has sucked liquidity out of the economy and killed consumer confidence. We see it in the debate over duty – government interference does not work.
The nonsense over pot washers is the mark of a failed government, out of ideas and panicking. Same with water truck licenses and dump trucks. It’s ineffective tinkering around the edges and is pointless.
You want the same in the catering industry? You want to reward mediocrity?
This is not Buzz’s fault. Far from it.
You actually think that the real estate market is not over inflated? You actually think that even if you opened the real estate market to foreigners in this economic climate it will make a difference?
lolololol… Housing bubbles all over the world mate, this one has not popped yet. Think about it, why would foreigners buy in Bermuda’s real estate market??
For the prices we are asking for they can do much better in a island that is warmer and more attractive to rent out
If they bought a property at such a high price, when they are not on island who will rent it?
The market is overvalued and they will not get value for money.
Who will pay 800,000 USD for a cottage in a dense area with no views? NO FOREIGNER WILL BE THAT STUPID
Col. Burch is that you? Laughing at Bermudians in negative equity situations, laughing at the for sale signs? Laughing at layoffs in constructions, and small Bermuda businesses their workers support (GL).
Although I have been, and will be negatively impacted by the real estate downturn, I have to agree with you, Wicky Choopa. Bermuda priced itself out of the market, and those folks who bought or built super expensive properties and depended on foreign workers to pay their vastly inflated rents are now feeling the pinch. I am sad for them, but we really should have seen it coming. The signs were all there, and although the PLP has a lot to answer for, this whole island was in line for a serious wake up call. Maybe now we’ll stop covering everything in concrete and get back to growing a bit of produce so that when no one has any money, we’ll still be able to eat. Anyone interested in working on a barter system?!?
The super rich aren’t affected – it’s the rest of us who saved up, worked hard…
People dont have to support Buzz or any other business if they want to.
Obviously they are.
Free enterprise is essential to how any economy works. How can a Government stop a business from opening more outlets? What kind of incentive would that be for growing and maintaining a business? Now, while you might question why we don’t see more Bermudian staff in Buzz, that is really the job of Immigration, to either approve or not approve work permits for that business. All those people you see working in Buzz had work permits approved by the PLP Government.
Media not once did I mention foreign workers but if you want me to KEEP IT REAL the MAIN reason you do not see Bermudians WORKING in such establishments (small deli etc) like these is because the owners do not want to pay enough for a Bermudian survive off they rather bring in a foreign worker (no fault or disrespect to them) and pay them next to nothing.
These foreign workers are able to survive because 6+ of them live in an 2 bed apartment (as many do not work the same hours). If I recall this issue stemmed from the UBP so PLACE ALL THE INFO ON THE TABLE before YOU GO THERE and to think from when I was able to VOTE I SUPPORTED & VOTED UBP, BUT I can admit they didn’t do everything right but of course no Government can they can only do their BEST).
Have you taken time to talk to Bermudians who actually DO WORK in this industry either as wait staff, kitchen potter even security etc? I have, and that has helped me understand WHY the problem exists. If you have not you should you may be surprised what you learn (just a thought and not meant to disrespect you in any way.).
I am trying to help many Bermudians that have become part of the forgotten. I DO NOT want BERMUDIANS and OUR TRADITIONS to become extinct like other societies. We ALL NEED TO ACT NOW.
@Purple…you say…
…KEEP IT REAL the MAIN reason you do not see Bermudians WORKING in such establishments (small deli etc) like these is because the owners do not want to pay enough for a Bermudian survive off they rather bring in a foreign worker (no fault or disrespect to them) and pay them next to nothing…
Are you kidding me? This attitude is what is killin us…jobs pay not what YOU need to survive, but what the job market says it is worth…Its not dictated by what YOU think you should be earning…So many people tell us “I can’t work for that” Are you kidding me? Be for real, entry level jobs pay entry level salaries…that is $15 – $18 per hour…If you are employed as a cleaner earning $17 per hour, and you think you should be earning more….make that happen by retraining, re-tooling, starting your own business….after all the employer’s client in this case is only paying $25 per hour so how can he pay you $25 per hour?
And if you are earning $18 per hour, then that means that:
1) you cannot drive a H class $60K car with mag wheels
2) you cannot afford a $600 phone and a monthly $300 Digicel bill
3) you cannot afford to buy your lunch everyday
4) you cannot afford all (premium movie Cablevision channels on 4 tv’s in your house
5) you cannot afford to get your hair and nails done every week
6) you cannot afford lobster dinners on Friday nights cuz “you’ve worked hard all week”
7) that you are a labour worker and that means that you are paid for the hours of your labour – so while on the clock, stay off your phone…the trash you are texting is so insignificant and can wait until you get home! Really.
Get a grip…
Barnett said it a few weeks ago when we were talking about the potwashers pay. The next time a patron is willing to pay $50 for a hamburger lunch, then he can pay his potwashers $25 per hour…
Ignorance is bliss…Government cannot stop a business from expanding..and has a duty to provide the tools and infrastructure to encourage prosperity…believe me, you prefer this to the alternative where Governments stifle business creation, stymy growth, nationalize assets etc…does communism mean something to you?
Take a look at what Walmart did throughout the states during its expansion. Closed thousands of little mom and mom stores and now even larger grocery chains due to its aggressive penetration strategy. Same with Home Depot and Lowe’s. Look at what they did to the corner hardware store. Like with Gorhams…the market decided we didnt’ need anymore Lightbourne’s hardware in Southampton or the little guy up in Somerset or the hardware at Crockwells location. You can’t blame Gorhams, can you?
I love Andre Woods and his family at GL but consider:
1) his natural market is declining – construction workers, bermudian labourers in the area – there are fewer today than there were 3 years ago. Had this same conversation with Keith of Keiths Kitchen just last week…but Keith has no overhead…
2) the evolving demographic likes healthier food options ie less grease / no fried / lower fat,
3) the evolving demographic likes to see what is going into making the food, watch it being prepared and have a choice in what ends up on their plate, salad options etc.
4) the evolving demographic wants to be respected and shown appreciation for their patronage…she wants service…
5) the evolving demographic appreciates a clean and hygenic facility with like restroom facilities which are wheelchair accessible…
6) the evolving demographic likes emails of daily specials, or a website where they can see today’s specials and view the menu and even place an order…
When you consider the above, it is easy to see how and why GL is closing its doors on Saturday. Businesses must respond with the times.
Purple, You want to govvernment to restrict the number of Buzz restaurants because it’s too successful? And you want Buzz to “allow” other restaurants to have some of its business?
Let me know what planet you live on.
Bermudians do not eat at Buzz everyday, foreigners do……who wants to pay $7 for a flat boring sandwich?
@media true about PLP approving work permits to them (get rid of this party, they dont care about the upcoming generation; i feel that as a returning student! and it a shame…)
problem is that we dont have a minimum wage, foreigners work for peanuts and live like we are a 3rd world country (i.e. 4ppl per bdrm)…bermudians have homes, families and are thinking about the future of their children we do not want to make $5 an hour…does anyone?
The government need to equip Bermudians to work in the private sector instead of handing out jobs in the civil service. If I can go work at Ag and Fish or Marine and ports without the need for any sort of educational back ground or experience. Why would I as a Bermudian get a job serving people anywhere. For government I can work shorter hours, for more pay, and take sick days when I want.
That is the significant truth that is why Bermuda breeds laziness in the workforce because the Government over employ to take care of their voters and keep them voting one way. Over pay them and then leave public sector workers and businesses to pay the bill through payroll tax and duty. That is why the hospitality worker business dried up on this Island, because the government made sure that working class Bermudians would not need to do those jobs they used to do by giving them easy jobs elsewhere on inflated pay. Where is the hospitality school on this Island? How can you expect to support hotels and restaurants without proper training? People have to know how to do the jobs and be prepared to work at the same rate, or businesses will always hire foreigners, because they are trained and want to do the work. How many Bermudian Chef’s and Wait staff are there on the Island. As a proportion I would say about 10% roughly of the whole hospitality industry. What pro-active steps have the PLP taken to help train and ready Bermudians to work in that sector? NONE!
that makes sense Bermuda should have a state of the art Catering College with world recognised certification ,and thats where you NEED to bring foreigners in ,you bring in the best culinary teachers to teach .There used to be a hotel school what happened to that???
PLP gave it way.
For, what was it? 100 years?!? People objected but I don’t think there was any positive resolution – it fell by the wayside of further outrages…and there were many. We couldn’t keep up with them.
If everyone who has commented had actually patronized Green Lantern — they’d be staying in business!
I have..but not frequently and I live very close by….
Bernews, thank you for giving all of these frustrated Bermudians the opportunity to vent and spew their venom. As a result of your foresight, the Royal Gazette allowed on-line comments.
What happened to all of this venom prior to Bernews allowing people to “express themselves”? There must have been a lot of pent up anger, but it had to have shown somewhere.
I fear for the staff at MAWI and the Bermuda Police Service after the last vote has been counted at the next
election. I hear via the grapevine that already some anti-PLP supporters are on the rampage.
Don’t worry eventually Buzz will be closing some locations as well. They are new and once people find something better they will be hurting and eventually the economy will hurt them too.
all i know is, i always felt welcome there, saw a mix of all walks of bermudian life there AND i am pretty sure one of the waitresses was of southeast asian descent — i sure will miss their fishcakes…… no it may not be the shiniest place in town, but who cares? it was authentic and an institution…. i just wonder why such short notice? if it was a slow-down in business, they should have put an ad out there that said “we have the best fishcakes in bermuda – come try one and see”
btw i have never been to a buzz – i cannot understand why everyone is blaming buzz here.
The reason they are closing is obvious to all who work in ‘industrial bermuda’ its called Buzz—there is only room for 1 restaurant in the area (Spot really wasn’t competition) and when Buzz opened we all said it was only a matter of time
If everybody who commented here ate regularly at Green Lantern, they’d be staying open!
If every on here ate regularly at the Green Lantern Bermuda would be full of 300lb diabetics.
Just like the BIU in fact.
I am here in university crying!!! I always go GL for a meal when I’m home hon break!!! OMG fishcakes mac&cheese desserts… *CRYYYYY* One of my favourite restaurants!!! GL will be greatly missed!!! *sniffles*