The family behind a popular Perth restaurant have made a plea to customers to honour their bookings following the recent city centre fire tragedy.
Nongmay Buncharoen manages Mae Ping Thai Dining on Perth’s South Street.
The restaurant is close to the scene of the recent fatal fire above the Royal Bar, which left one man dead and parts of the city centre impassable.
Mae Ping Thai Dining is still open after the fire.
But passing trade has dwindled to nothing since the blaze.
And now the restaurant has been hit by an entirely new phenomenon – people making reservations and then not showing up.
Nongmay says she can’t understand why the no-shows are happening now.
But it couldn’t have come at a worse time, as businesses in the city centre struggle to deal with disruption caused by the fire.
“This should be the busiest time of the year for us,” she said.
“But last week we didn’t have any footfall.
“No one walked in who didn’t already have a reservation.”
Thai restaurant among Perth businesses facing troubled time in wake of fire
Nongmay is appealing to customers to support Mae Ping Thai Dining and all the other Perth businesses battling for survival.
A number of other traders in the area have been told they’ll have to stay closed for up to six months as the blaze-damaged building is demolished.
She thinks it’s possible people are wrongly assuming her restaurant, or the adjoining Scott Street car park are inaccessible.
But that’s not the case – and Perth city centre businesses need all the help they can get right now.
“No-shows aren’t usually a problem for us,” she said.
“I can’t really understand it.
“Maybe people are thinking they won’t be able to get here.
“But if they’ve phoned to make a reservation they know we’re open. They’ve already spoken to someone here. There’s no reason not to show up, and especially not now.”
Restaurant is popular Perth fixture
Nongmay’s grandparents opened Mae Ping Thai Dining in 1998.
The restaurant made headlines last year when Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor popped in for a meal.
And Nongmay has won plaudits for the unflinching way she responds to bad reviews on TripAdvisor.
Perth and Kinross Council is working with displaced businesses and around 50 families who were forced to flee their homes as a result of the fire.
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