'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.”