Celebrity Chef Explains Reasons Behind Wiltshire Restaurant Closure
Rick Stein, a renowned chef, presenter, and restaurateur, has shared insight into the sudden shutdown of his only Wiltshire restaurant in an exclusive interview.
Background on the Wiltshire Restaurant
Stein opened the Marlborough restaurant in 2016 as his sixth establishment under the "Rick Stein" brand in England. It featured signature dishes such as Dover sole à la meunière and turbot hollandaise.
Reasons for Closure
The restaurant closed abruptly on October 5. Stein explained to the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald that economic difficulties and a declining customer base forced the decision.
"We decided to close because there just wasn’t enough business," Stein said. "We’re not going under, but we are having to restructure our business just because of the hard time we’re going through."
He noted the hospitality sector as a whole is struggling, attributing the challenges partly to the government's recent budget and ongoing economic hardships.
"The whole hospitality industry is suffering. Personally, I think it’s a mixture of the government’s last budget and the quite grim economic time we have been going through."
Current Status
Despite the closure, Stein emphasized that his business is not failing; instead, it is adapting to survive in a tough market.
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