Yesterday, we told you about the smoke between Tony's BBQ and Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing.
The popular BBQ business is being forced to relocate by mid-August to accommodate the reconstruction of the Belcan Bridge.
But Tony's didn't just up and leave that prime spot at the foot of the Belcan Bridge adjoining the Save-U parking lot; they waged a public battle until they got assistance to relocate. And today, they're clearing the air. Courtney Menzies spoke to the co-owner today and has this story.
Tony's BBQ has stood here near Save U's parking lot for over two decades. But come August, they'll be transitioning to a new area across the roundabout. They're being forced to relocate to accommodate a temporary bridge and the construction of the new BelCan Bridge.
But there's been some back and forth. And while it seemed like the owners were planning to fight the relocation, Sarah Beck explained today that all they wanted was clarification since they had gotten conflicting information in a meeting held last week.
Sarah Beck, Co-Owner, Tony's BBQ
"In that meeting they told us that the bridge is not even going to be built until next year and that the BelCan Bridge will be broken down after the Christmas holiday."
"In that meeting they said we had until November, but then inside that same meeting they give us a letter to sign and in the letter it said that we had 30 days."
"So I wrote to MIDH for clarity, for clarification of what the process is and what time frame, the time frame, exactly what it is that we are in the way of because we have gotten so many mixed things. We are in the way of pedestrians, when it was kind of weird to me because we've been here in this same position, not in a building but we were in a tent, for over 25 years and no one has ever been obstructed to pass around the tent or under the tent or whatever way they want to use this area, there was never an obstruction."
"I wanted clarity, not because we were not going to move, or we're fighting to not move, I just wanted clarity."
And in MIDH's letter responding to their concerns, Chief Engineer Evondale Moody explained that based on their most recent evaluation, the relocation was necessary because of pedestrian safety and access to the temporary bridge. Moody reminded them that they had never gotten MIDH's authorization to construct a building in that spot.
However, Beck said that this wasn't true, and that when Digi accepted their proposal for a new building, she had sought permission before construction started-and emphasized that they have indeed been paying:
Sarah Beck, Co-Owner, Tony's BBQ
"Me and Mr. Tony we took a trip to Lands, we said, 'Okay, well Lands isn't in charge of that, you have to talk to Works,' because at the time it was Works and we went to Works and they said, 'Oh no, you have to deal with that with City Council.'"
"When I got my evaluation, they told us, well the evaluation came and we had a bill of $1,200 so I wrote a letter because I'm a letter queen, I prefer to be professional and write letters to get answers because that's what you do. So I wrote a letter and asked for an evaluation and Mr. Smith came back and said that, 'Well you have to realize you're using this space so you have to pay a rental.' So the rental, they measured the whole space and we had to pay a rental for the year plus we had to pay trade so the total of the bill came up to $1,200 a year."
Now we note that works out to only $100 per month-but despite all that, the proprietors of Belize's most iconic BBQ joint have accepted that they will need to relocate; however, they still have a few concerns. But they have since been reassured by Mayor Bernard Wagner that the Council will provide assistance.
Sarah Beck, Co-Owner, Tony's BBQ
"The area does not fit the building and that's one of our issues, it does not fit the building. And also it's next to a hospital, we're grilling, will it be another complaint that we're smoking out the hospital? And then they put us in the path of where the crosswalk comes, the crosswalk ends right there so we're right there and will it be another complaint that, 'Well now you're affecting the pedestrians on that side?'"
"And the next thing is we were told the area is a green area, we have to maintain it as a green area. How can we sell food and people would be trampling on grass, and keeping it a green area is not something practical and those are some of the things, but the Mayor called me and I'm grateful that he did and he's given me his word that we will work together and we will deal with this."
The Mayor has promised to meet with them next week to plan the next steps forward.
The owners say that by the August deadline they will have moved and patrons will be able to find them across from the Atlantic Bank.
