A few musical notes and bursts of voices. The seafront is lively this Saturday, November 30 in Lion-sur-Mer (Calvados). More precisely at the Abri-Côtier hut, for an aperitif-concert, a stone's throw from the town hall. But not sure that the atmosphere penetrates the walls. At the end of October, a bailiff crossed the square to bring a letter to Antony Roussel, the boss: “It was October 2. The town hall informed me of the end of occupation of the public domain at the end of September. We had to leave. It’s a monumental blow. » The announced end of an 18-year adventure for this small bar-restaurant open six days a week, all year round.
At the end of November, the regulars are mobilizing. There are a few dozen of them at the aperitif-concert in support of Antony and Géraldine, the employee. Although ordered to leave, the restaurateur is still open, with his menu “of 4 or 5 fresh homemade dishes, at lunchtime, and pastries made by Géraldine”. But his presence hangs by a thread. The town hall did not renew its authorization, which had been tacitly extended for years. Lion-sur-Mer indeed has plans for the “Sandbox”, this small, popular but aging seafront square, where the Abri-Côtier is located. There is talk of a restaurant, but Antony Roussel feels “ousted from the project”. “It’s incomprehensible not to include Antony in the project,” denounces a member of the support collective. “It is an essential partner, who proposed to evolve to meet the city's expectations. »
The municipality intends to enrich the catering offer, which Antony Roussel was ready to do. “I agreed to open in the evening, but we had to expand and have a closed structure. The customer potential is there. I could have hired a team for the evening service,” notes the restaurateur. Elected officials have indicated on several occasions that such a project would involve a call for tenders and that the manager of the Abri-Côtier could participate. But the latter is stunned by the lack of dialogue which, according to him, does not bode well for his business. “The project is vague,” worry residents. “We don’t know the dates, the duration, the studies. There is no consultation, even though we are talking about a living place, open all year round. The Abri-Côtier could disappear. The town hall does not listen to customers. »
There is talk of a new building located partly on the current parking lot. The first groundbreaking could be given at the end of 2024/beginning of 2025. Despite our requests, Mayor Magali Saint did not follow up before the publication of this article. An attitude which does not surprise the collective, whose members are rather favorable to the idea of “beautifying the place”.
L’Abri-Côtier has kept the fun going since the announcement at the beginning of October, against the backdrop of a “frozen situation”. Antony Roussel indicates that he has written twice since to Magali Saint, without response either: “It’s very scary. I sleep badly. With my employee, we are 50 years old and we could find ourselves unemployed. You don't fire people like that, without any discussion. » In the meantime, some local residents are still enjoying “this soul of Lion-sur-Mer, where we have memories of a syrup when returning from the beach with the children”.
