By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

An Eleuthera resort has blamed a downturn in business for the “tough decision” to close its restaurant and “furlough” impacted staff with effect from Monday, August 18.

Wasipha Khan-Francis, the French Leave resort’s general manager, in an August 1, 2025, letter to employes that was obtained by Tribune Business, wrote: “Unfortunately, French Leave Resort and Shaner Bahamas must furlough you, effective August 18, 2025, because of a lack of business and the resulting closure of the 1648 restaurant.

“It is a very difficult time for all of us, and we have had to make tough decisions to protect our future as a company. You may be eligible to be recalled by French Leave in the future.” While the lay-offs were described as a furlough, the letter encouraged staff to apply for their National Insurance Board (NIB) unemployment benefits “based on lack of work”.

The Governor’s Harbour-based resort also pledged to pay staff up until August 18, 2025, plus provide pay in lieu of notice and continue their health insurance benefits and coverage with Atlantic Medical through to the end of August 2025.

Efforts to determine how many employees are being furloughed proved fruitless. Tribune Business made multiple unsuccessful attempts this week to contact Ms Khan-Francis for comment, while a voice mail left with Shaner Group, the French Leave owner, was also not returned. The French Leave is part of Marriott’s Autograph collection of hotels.

Howard Thompson, the Government’s director of labour, was off-island this week but he indicated in a brief messaged reply that he had been made aware of the French Leave furloughs. He suggested that given the resort’s niche, boutique size the number of employees impacted was unlikely to be many. Many Eleuthera residents told this newspaper they were unaware of the restaurant closure.

Elsewhere, Dr Kenneth Romer, the Government’s aviation director, told Tribune Business that suggestions United Airlines has halted its direct service from Nassau to Chicago are incorrect. Explaining that the carrier is set to initiate its traditional pause during the slowest part of the tourism season, he added that passenger volumes on the route increased by almost 28 percent during the 2025 first half.

“This has been an annual seasonal suspension or reduction of service towards non-peak season at the end of August and returning mid-October,” Dr Romer, also the deputy director-general of tourism, told Tribune Business via messaged reply.

“Chicago has been a strong performer. In fact, between January and June 2025, passenger volume from Chicago to Nassau increased 27.9 percent over 2024, and 24.5 percent over 2019. Overall, foreign air arrivals year-to-date remain on par with 2019 and 2024 performances.

“United Airlines, like many of the other air carriers, expected to be ramping up frequency and seat capacity in the fourth quarter. That will lead to another anticipated strong performance for the destination. We continue to work closely with our airline partners to attract new airlift and expand existing airlift to put butts in seats, and heads in bed, that translate into monies into the pockets of our local community.”