Craig and Louise Sherrington's Virginia House goes into liquidation because it isn't financially viable

The Staff Canteen

Ulverston restaurant, guest house and bar, Virginia House, owned by Great British Menu contestant Craig Sherrington, has gone into administration following months of financial struggles.

The Virginia House website and official Facebook page has already been pulled down, and the phone line disconnected. The Staff Canteen has reached out to the Sherringtons for comment.

The couple issued a statement on Facebook, reports the Westmorland Gazette, before the page was taken down:

“It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart that we must inform you Virginia House shall cease to trade with immediate effect.We have unfortunately succumbed to the current financial climate and our guest house, restaurant and bar are not financially viable.”

They thanked their customers ‘for their loyalty, support and custom’ for the past three-and a half years during which the restaurant was open.

“We had some great times and we hope you have had too.”

The couple said they weren’t able to issue any refunds, but that this did not discount the possibility that they would in the future.

“We are unfortunately not in a position to make any refunds at this point in time," they said. "But that does not mean to say the company will not be able to in the future.

Furthermore, the statement asks that anyone seeking information refer to liquidation company Begbie-Traynor, to whom all financial dealings have been handed over.

“We fully understand how disappointed you will be and apologise sincerely for the current situation.”

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  – 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 16 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 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, 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.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 20th March 2019

Craig and Louise Sherrington's Virginia House goes into liquidation because it isn't financially viable