For over three decades, Tony’s Barbeque has been more than just a food business—it has been a beloved landmark embedded in the BelCan Bridge landscape of Belize City, drawing generations of locals and visitors to its signature grilled offerings. Now, the decades-old community staple faces an uncertain future, as government infrastructure agencies move forward with a major bridge replacement and surrounding area redesign that requires the eatery and other nearby businesses to relocate.
The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing (MIDH), in partnership with the Belize City Council, has issued a mandatory 30-day vacate notice for all vendors and car dealers operating on the land targeted for pre-construction preparation. While some local operators have already moved to new approved locations, Tony’s Barbeque has launched a public appeal for community support as its August 15 relocation deadline rapidly approaches. In a statement, the family-owned business emphasized that it does not oppose the infrastructure upgrade project, but is calling for greater recognition and protection of longstanding local small businesses throughout the development process.
Details of the relocation order were first outlined publicly back in May 2026, during an interview with MIDH Chief Engineer Evondale Moody, obtained by local outlet News Five. Moody confirmed that the agency had formally contacted Belize City’s mayor to coordinate the relocation of multiple site occupants, including Tony’s Barbeque, vendors near the nearby taxi stand behind SaveU, and a small shed structure operated by BWS on the bridge’s southern end.
“I have written to the mayor of Belize City with respect to those relocation, with respect to the vendor near the taxi stand, which is just behind SaveU, with respect to Tony’s Barbecue, and also with respect to the shed that is over by BWS just across on the south side of the bridge. So I have written to the mayor with respect to those, and he has committed to ensuring that he works with these vendors to get them relocated as soon as possible,” Moody explained in the May interview. “We have given them a timeline of approximately thirty days for that to be done. And so the mayor has written back to me in good faith indicating that he’s working on that, and that will be done in a timely manner. So I have the full support of the mayor on these issues because I believe those three businesses were basically given permission by the local authority for them to be there. So I just took it on behalf of the ministry to kindly request his assistance for those individuals to be relocated.”
When pressed for clarity on the specific requirement for Tony’s Barbeque, Moody confirmed the order is for a full removal from the current site. The parcel of land that the eatery currently occupies will be repurposed as part of the new access carriageway leading to the replacement BelCan Bridge, a core component of the government’s infrastructure upgrade project. This transcript is adapted from an original evening television newscast published online in July 2026.