The homeowners of Pajo’s at Garry Level Park mentioned they ticked all of the packing containers of their bid for lease renewal and are devastated they’re being requested to stop operation on the finish of the month, whereas the town mentioned it was a routine bidding for metropolis location that went to a different enterprise
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A call by the Richmond park board to not renew the lease of a fish and chips store at Garry Level Park in Steveston has devastated the homeowners and longtime supervisor and disillusioned some loyal prospects.
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Pajo’s Fish and Chips has run the takeout window the place the Pacific Ocean and the Fraser River meet for the reason that metropolis constructed the constructing 23 years in the past. Now homeowners Kevin and Tara Elston have to shut on March 31 after dropping a proper bid referred to as a request for proposal to a competitor.
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“Perhaps folks will assume it (the lease) went to the best bidder, however it wasn’t about that, the hire was set,” mentioned Tara Elston, who a long time in the past took over Pajo’s, which is known as after the founders, her mom, Pat, and Pat’s buddy, Joan. She runs it and three different Pajo’s, together with one on Steveston’s wharf, with husband Kevin.
She mentioned the request was judged on the menu and the bidder’s expertise, strategy and whether or not or not the enterprise was sustainable and “economically round,” with every of the classes carrying completely different weightings.
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The tender additionally included an interview with two park board workers.
“We felt, as a result of there have been solely two folks, we felt it was subjective,” she mentioned of the choice.
Although they have been the incumbents, the Elstons mentioned they didn’t take the method as a right, engaged on their bid for 80 hours and hiring an expert to assist.
Kevin mentioned they’ve operated in a sustainable means for years, shopping for potatoes from Ladner and the fish from the Pacific. “We have been ocean-wise earlier than ocean-wise was a factor,” he mentioned.
However he mentioned he understands that the constructing is public property, that they don’t personal it, and that the town had prolonged their authentic lease a number of instances.
“This was the results of an open public tender, because of the lease for the concession expiring,” Richmond communications director Clay Adams mentioned in an electronic mail.
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He mentioned a brand new native vendor has been chosen however he wouldn’t identify it till particulars are finalized.
“Response to the information has been various, based mostly on feedback posted on social media channels,” he mentioned. “Some prospects are clearly disillusioned, whereas others see this as a chance for a brand new vendor within the in style location.”
Kevin mentioned they fear extra concerning the employees dropping their jobs, noting the supervisor, Kathy Miller, has been there since Day 1 and her daughter and grandson each work there.
“It’s devastating,” mentioned Miller, carrying a jacket with a Pajo’s brand as she rolled up her apron after her shift ended.
Buyer Wayne Attridge mentioned he orders from Pajo’s each time he involves Garry Level Park, besides when there’s a lineup of 40 folks, widespread on a busy day. He mentioned he couldn’t think about Steveston with out the restaurant and he was going to let the town and parks board how disillusioned he was with the choice.
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A younger household with a full tray of fried meals on Friday mentioned they got here as quickly as they heard Pajo’s can be closing.
“It’s the most effective fish and chips in North America,” mentioned dad Jack Yee. “We’ve been to San Francisco and Seattle and nothing beats Pajo’s, I swear.”
“It’s an incredible location,” mentioned mother Priscilla Lai. “We heard they’re changing them with one other fish and chips store, which is unnecessary as a result of they’ve been right here for 23 years.”
The Elstons haven’t any choice to attraction the choice and, on Friday, an worker put up a closure discover.
It mentioned, partly, to prospects that the closing “is sort of unthinkable, and it’s with extraordinarily heavy hearts that we anticipate seeing you for the final time on March 31.”
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