Popular restaurants in Birmingham and Nottingham forced to close as running costs skyrocket

Restaurants in Nottingham and Birmingham are being forced to permanently close, due to the current economic climate.

In August, the government was warned that several pubs and restaurants would face potential closure this winter, due to rising energy bills.

Industry bodies such as UK Hospitality and Night-Time Industries Association wrote to the Prime Minister, saying the energy crisis was a grave threat to many businesses.

The letter said: "Not all businesses will be able to survive this onslaught, and those that can will be closely considering how they can keep their costs down just to stay afloat."

This week, Masala Junction in Nottingham announced it will be closing.

The award-winning Indian restaurant opened seven years ago in a former NatWest Bank on the corner of Mansfield Road. It will be closing later this month.

A message on social media outlined rising costs faced by hospitality and said it was "with a heavy heart" the restaurant would be closing down.

They said: "Although our amazing team has worked hard overcoming the unforeseen trials facing our industry during and post pandemic, the cost of running a restaurant has nevertheless sky rocketed.

"With the weight of continued price increases on our minds and the fact that we don't wish to out-price our guests either, it's with a heavy heart that we've made the decision to close our doors on Saturday 15th October."

Meanwhile in Birmingham, Argentinean-inspired steak restaurant Pulperia has also been forced to close.

Chef Aktar Islam, who grew up in Aston, opened Pulperia in 2020, but he announced last month that the cost of living crisis had affected his business so much that he was closing.

Mr Islam said: "Pulperia has been one hell of a journey, we barely opened just before lockdown and then was shut for the best part of a year.

"It’s where Aktar at Home was born and was even our makeshift warehouse.

"It’s allowed me to showcase my love of Argentinean food and a roast dinner – it’s bittersweet. 

"With the current climate we simply cannot operate at the standard we want without out-pricing our customers.

"Consumer habits have changed, and we feel we’ve come to the end of our journey."

In Walsall, The Reading Rooms and Bean and Baked is also shutting its doors for good.

The independent coffee shop, say the cost of living crisis has been the 'final blow.'

The owner announced on social media that: "It is with a very heavy heart that I find myself announcing the closure of The Reading Rooms and Bean and Baked.

"Despite recent restructuring, the businesses, which are still recovering from the events of recent years are not in a position to move forward in the current climate we find ourselves in."