"Sadly Alium restaurant has closed its doors"
Alium, a Welsh restaurant situated in Barry, has announced it's closure following a perfect storm of challenges after 15 months of service.
Alium had debuted within the historic Grade II-listed Pumphouse building in March 2022, stepping in to fill the vacancy left by the renowned Hang Fire Southern Kitchen, which had shut due to staffing constraints.
Owned by chef Antonio Simone, also recognised for his culinary ventures like the Humble Onion restaurant in Dinas Powys and Poca in Cardiff, Alium sought to make its mark in the dining scene.
A statement on their social media said: "Sadly Alium restaurant has closed its doors today. We shall be emailing all future bookings today to inform. It has been one hell of a ride, we have had ups and downs, questioned ourselves, diversified and tried everything to maintain our high standards, whilst still making it a viable business."
The restaurant added: "With so many factors combined the perfect storm has been created, as such we can no longer continue to trade. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that supported us and making the dream come true. In addition, a huge thank you to the staff (past and present). The team behind Alium were the best bunch of people, and they truly made it what it was. So, for that we shall be forever grateful."
The announcement prompted an outpouring of compassion from devoted patrons of the eatery on social media platforms.
The United Kingdom has seen a huge amount of licensed establishments close over the last year, with the loss of approximately one in 18 venues, encompassing pubs, hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafes, as reported by the Hospitality Market Monitor, a collaborative effort between CGA and AlixPartners.
Recent closures include Oxeye by Sven-Hanson Britt in London, and Brian Maule at Le Chardon d'Or in Glasgow.
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