Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | March 29, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 15 24th Annual Best Ball Charity Golf Classic May 19 2021 SWING INTO ACTION Cyprian Keyes Golf Club For More Information email golf@veteransinc.org G O L F & M E E T I N G S F O C U S tions were generally more lax. An exclu- sive agreement with Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston for events and cafe business was a major help, Lawrence said. Worcester's Creedon & Co., which laid off some longtime staff, was able to make some boxed lunches for offices and other places and otherwise took advantage of a secondary element of its business: tent rentals. ose were in high demand by restaurants, hospitals, schools, state agencies looking for extra outdoor seat- ing, space for screening or other uses. "ank goodness they did," said John Creedon Jr., a second-generation family leader of the company. "If the phone was ringing, an event was canceling," Creedon said of the company's year. A devastated industry looks forward Catering, as a relatively smaller industry, didn't get as much attention as restaurants for how badly they were hit by the pandemic. "We're in the volume business," Cree- of seating capacity. Jan. 25, 2021: 9:30 p.m. closing no longer in effect. March 1, 2021: Indoor performance venues, including theaters and concert halls, are allowed to reopen. March 22, 2021: Event venue capacity increased to 100 indoors and 150 outdoors, and dance floors are permitted at weddings. Source: Commonwealth of Massachusetts don said. "We're serving hundreds or thousands of people at a time, and that's exactly what wasn't allowed." Catering was devastated by the pandemic, according to the Boston chapter of the North Carolina-based National Association for Catering and Events, with many workers still unsure when they can return to their jobs. Like restaurant workers, they oen put their health at risk to try surviving economi- cally, the chapter said in a statement. "Many of our industry friends were forced to close their doors and find a source of income elsewhere through federal aid, unemployment or a job that doesn't meet their skillset," NACE's local chapter said. "No matter which path they chose, it doesn't meet the cost of living in Boston." Neither NACE nor local caterers expect 2021 to be exactly a normal year. For one thing, events through April have already been largely cleared from the schedule. Corporate events are expected to lag. Creedon & Co. is finding opti- mism in the number of high school class reunions, fundraisers and even anksgiving and Christmas gatherings being booked. e company, which has hundreds of tents for rentals, is expect- ing another strong year in that regard, based on advanced bookings. Last year was so tight for tent rentals that caterers that were otherwise competitors would contact one another to lend tents for Sports facilities allowed to open to 12% of capacity. clients, Creedon said. NACE isn't expecting normalcy until 2022. A lot of clients canceled their plans of having a wedding altogether because of the unknown, the group said. Brides, grooms and others planning weddings tend to be more particular, Lawrence said. "When it comes to personal fam- ily events, there are people who, hell or highwater, want to do this event," he said, describing some cases where Peppers declined to cater an event, uncomfortable with what they saw as unsafe plans. "We've had people plan a wedding three times," Lawrence said. "Corporate [business] is very, very gun-shy. And I don't see that changing until we reach herd immunity." Like other food-service businesses, Peppers had to stay mindful of health standards and often-shifting state business guidelines. In a matter of months last year, Peppers Artful Events went from expecting an all- time year to fearing going out of business. W PHOTOS/COURTESY OF PEPPERS ARTFUL EVENTS

• Cover