WHEN the times are tough, reality television isn't really the place many people would turn to.

But for two Berwick restaurants struggling to makes ends meet, Channel Nine's The Chopping Block has given them a new lease of life.

Tim O'Brien, owner of The Courthouse, said he was within days of having to close when the show's producers came knocking.

"Every cent of mine in is in this restaurant. If we hadn't won I don't think we would still be here.

"It was that tight.

"Two weeks before the show everyone in the industry was saying it had been the worst two weeks they had ever had.

"November is always a bad time of the year because of Christmas and people are saving to buy presents, but this has been a bad year."

Since winning last month's competition though, business has been booming.

"I always knew that I had a good business but the problem was no one knew about us. So [the show has] paid off.

"In the time since it went to air we have been very, very busy and most of the people have been first-timers.

"Now we have to focus on getting those people back."

Tim says the conception of "reality" television didn't scare him.

"At the end of the day you have to be prepared for anything.

"But I have always known that to be successful you have to have a business plan for everything, so I also had one for the TV show.

"They can only use what you give them.

"If you give them tears and tantrums, then they will use it."

As part of the show, each of the businesses were given $5000 to make over the restaurants and were filmed for three days.

Tim says that each of the owners were told to anticipate at least a 7per cent increase regardless of who won the competition.

"So no one really loses," Tim says.

The owners of the Hotel Eden did not return the Journal's calls before deadline.