Johnno with entertainer Sprocka 
View of Johnnos Beach Bar
Visitors who remained in Anguilla since the outbreak of the global covid-19 pandemic, and Anguillians frequenting Road Bay, Sandy Ground, are finding much relaxation, entertainment and local cuisine at Johnno’s and Dad’s Beach Restaurants and Bars.
The two popular Anguillian-owned businesses were razed to the ground by a fire of unknown origin in July 2017. After months of rebuilding, and the onset of Hurricane Irma in September that year, both tourism facilities, though functioning, are still not at completion stage but are nevertheless being patronised.
Johnno (John Edwards), who was in the hospitality business for many years, told The Anguillian newspaper: “I am not yet back to normal operations. I am only providing service at weekends – Fridays , Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm – until we get the green light that Anguilla is opened up to its normal hospitality business. So I am just working in my weekend boundaries, as well as at other times if some persons want to have some special events. People look forward to come on weekends and I run a little specialty that most restaurants don’t provide. It is fish and fungi and people like this very much.”
Johnno had a considerable number of diners at his tables. They enjoyed both his cuisine and the music played by his long-time friend and musician, Corrine Richardson popularly known as “Sproka”.
Delbert Mussington 
Dad’s Beach Bar
Delbert Mussington, a former ferryboat sailor at Blowing Point, now owner of Dad’s Restaurant and Beach Bar, said he was struggling to get back on his feet. “No man, I am not back to normal,” he stated. “Anguilla seems as though it is not going to be back to normal just now. The coronavirus has shown us that what we are depending on [tourism] is not supposed to be the only means of livelihood. There is no tourism – meaning that we are not making any money, and the only thing Anguilla has is fishing – and we have not been fishing for a long time with the closure of our borders and the covid- 19 restrictions.”
He added: “As you can see, I only have two local persons here. This is a boat-racing event at Sandy Ground. Where are the people who are usually here? We need tourists on the beach, as well as our own people to support the boat racing and our restaurants and bars.”
Both Johnno and Delbert Mussington (Dad’s) are hoping for the best – that things will get better for them, Anguilla and its people in the near future.
