Restaurant customers in the United States have supported a family-run institution after it revealed the extreme efforts it was forced to put in place to stop people from defecating on its property.
On March 30, a fence was erected at an establishment in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following repeated alleged incidents of unhoused people using its grounds to do their business.
In an interview with WAFB, the co-owner said they went ‘back-and-forth’ about the major deterrent for months, claiming they sought police help first before asking defecators if they could go around the back of the restaurant instead.
“We’ve tried everything,” said Sara Saymeh, co-owner of Baton Rouge restaurant Roul’s Deli.
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Following failed attempts to mitigate the situation, which also included cameras with audio on the porch to tell people to vacate the area, Saymeh and her brother, Hesham, opted to build a fence around their Plank Road location.
“I didn’t want it to look like a jail cell, honestly,” the businesswoman lamented. “I didn’t want it to feel like that, but that was literally our last resort.”
Not only will the $7,000 steel cage deter unhoused people from defecating outside Roul’s Deli, but it also means that staff and owners alike will no longer be required to clean up the mess daily.
“It started becoming a thing, like ‘oh it’s your turn, like it’s your turn to clean it’,” Saymeh claimed, adding to WAFB that the issue has stopped ‘for now’.
Roul’s Deli has since apologised to its Plant Road customers for ‘having to resort to adding rails to the outside of [its] beautiful building’.
“We have been dealing with (please don’t take this wording harshly) homeless people coming and pooping in front of our door every single morning. They have made it the hang out spot at night, finding needles, left over drug usage items etc. but mainly the poop was the biggest issue,” the business alleged via Instagram.
It said that it hoped regulars could ‘understand’ the situation and rest easy in the knowledge that Roul’s Deli ‘tried everything’ before succumbing to the bars.
“We really apologise for this look. I truly hope you can understand our situation and still love us,” the caption added.
Social media users have come out in droves to support the business, which was first established in 1999 and specialises in ‘great southern hospitality’.
“Do whatever you gotta do to not shut us down,” commented one Instagram fan.
A second said: “Very unfortunately. Understandable.”
“And you know what? I would have done the same thing . WE LOVE YALL RAULS,” replied someone else.
Metro Council member Darryl Hurst, who represents the area where the restaurant does business, has said that the current situation underscores the need for people experiencing homelessness to be better connected with resources.
He also claimed that ongoing effort and community involvement is essential.
“It’s our duty as elected officials to ensure that we close the gaps in our communities,” Hurst added, explaining that Baton Rouge General is on hand to provide weekly medical services through a mobile unit in the area.
Topics: US Food, Restaurants and bars, News
Ella Scott