‘Restaurant of the Year’ forced to close over crippling costs | UK | News
An award-winning restaurant is forced to close due to rising costs. The Ollerod in Beaminster, Dorset, operates as a restaurant, hotel and pub. However, due to increasing food prices and personnel costs, part of the business will now operate only as a hotel and pub. Overnight guests will still be able to enjoy a continental breakfast. However, it no longer operates as a restaurant as of today.
The restaurant was opened in 2018 by Chris Staines, former executive chef of the Abbey Hotel in Bath. Ollerod also won Restaurant of the Year at the Dorset Food and Drink Awards the same year.
Despite its success, the restaurant’s owner, Silvana Bandini, was forced to cease operating, blaming “multiple factors” including food costs, which the restaurant had “doubled or tripled”.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision and I struggled with it a lot, but it is the only viable option (and I spent a lot of time thinking about it all),” he wrote in a social media post.
“I’m sure you’re all aware that the hospitality industry is on its knees at the moment and unfortunately Ollerod is no different.
“The cost of ‘feeding people’, all salaries (chefs, dishwashers, waiters) plus the astronomical increase in the actual cost of food, means that the income from food no longer covers even these two costs.
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“Gas, electricity, water, kitchen/restaurant consumables, reservation systems, equipment, kitchen maintenance, etc. are now all expenses without being offset.”
The owner also stated that after living in hospitality all his life, he would have to adapt to survive in the economic environment.
He said: “My entire life in hospitality has revolved around food… The thought of owning a hospitality business without food goes against all my instincts, but to survive these tough economic times, I need to adapt to create something great in a different way.”
The company announced that a separate food truck operation founded by its former head chef will be parked on site and serve food on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Customers can enjoy the meal inside the bar as long as they purchase or take away a drink.
