Coronavirus: 'To have it taken away, through no fault of our own it’s really hard to put into words'

Restaurant James Sommerin in Wales is the latest Coronavirus casualty as it was confirmed yesterday that it will not reopen.

Chef owner of the Penarth based restaurant, James Sommerin, took to twitter last night saying: “So had an absolute shit day thinking about all that’s gone on over the past few weeks. As a family we’re completely devastated about the closure of the restaurant.

“We completely understand the frustration of people with vouchers wanting an answer, please bare [sic] with us. We never Intended for this to happen and with 6 years of us building something we were so proud of, to have it taken away, through no fault of our own it’s really hard to put into words.

“No grants, no bounce back loans. We tried to keep things going. To be told we used loans an grants to fund a venture which has taken 2 years to come to an opening stage is really upsetting. To be threatened with trip advisor and reporting to Michelin because we can’t give instant answers, I just don’t know what to say. Please bare [sic] with us."

According to Wales online the signs have come down and ‘Richard Hayward, who owns the building on Penarth esplanade has said that the business would not be re-opening in that location’.

He told Wales online: "It was a successful restaurant, but the pandemic has not been good for Michelin-starred restaurants. It has changed the way people are thinking about going out to eat. The debt was rising and we had to tell them to go."

He explained that the business was no longer financially viable and that during the period of closure he made the decision that the restaurant could not return to his premises. It is one of just six Welsh restaurants which hold a star in the current guide and James and his family spent months cooking and delivering meals to NHS workers during lockdown. In week one James and the team dropped off 3,000 meals.

At the time James said: “We are not doing it to make money. I think it’s only right that we are doing something to help.”

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.