Support restaurateurs as soon as possible, the Association of Catering Establishments is urging after COVID-19 forced shut the doors of one of its members in Gozo.

In a statement on Friday, ACE said that one of its prominent members, annual award winner Patrick’s in Victoria, has permanently closed its doors.

The restaurant tops Tripadvisor's list of fine-dining restaurants in Gozo and recently told its clients that it would close "due to unforeseen circumstances".

Patrick's topped Tripadvisor's lists of fine dining restaurants in Gozo. Photo: Tripadvisor

ACE said the pandemic had taken its toll on the whole catering establishment sector.

ACE said it had foreseen such risks after analysing its regular surveys, with the most worrying of all, carried out last month, showing that 26 per cent would be closing down in the circumstances. 

The association called on the government to "support restaurateurs further at the earliest possible with a full wage supplement just like restaurants in hotels".

The supplement, ACE added, should cover all registered staff, irrespective of whether they were employed before or after March 9, as long as the headcount was the same as that of March 9.

The longer it takes for the government to implement these measures, the larger the number of closures, it warned.

"ACE is also disappointed that, to date, electricity and rent bills have not yet been refunded... cash injection is the blood of every business and is crucial during such unprecedented times for their survival".

Malta had 2,167 patients being treated for COVID-19 as of Friday, with 108 patients having died since the start of the pandemic.