‘Now is the right time to retire’: Family-run Nottinghamshire restaurant to close after 29 years  

A family-run restaurant in Nottingham is to close next month after 29 years of trading due to pressures on the hospitality industry.

 

Ashmores in Radcliffe-on-Trent opened in 1996 and became known for its locally-sourced dishes and family-friendly atmosphere.

 

However, in a message on Facebook, owners Mark and Jo Ashmore said the “current challenges facing the hospitality industry” had pushed them both to retire early.

 

They said: “After 29 incredible years of serving the people of Radcliffe-on-Trent and beyond, it’s with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Ashmores Restaurant later this year. Due to the current challenges facing the hospitality industry, we’ve decided now is the right time for us to retire.

 

“Since opening our doors in 1996, we’ve had the joy of sharing countless meals and celebrations with you all. To our loyal customers, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your support and friendship have meant the world to us. And to our amazing team – past and present – you have helped make Ashmores what it is, and we’ll always be grateful for that.”

 

News of the closure comes soon after the industry faced a triple whammy in cost increases in April as a result of increases to employers’ National Insurance Contributions, National Minimum Wage and a reduction in business rates relief.

 

It follows several independent restaurant closures announced this month. This week the Angel of Dartmouth restaurant announced it was closing after more than 40 years due to "increasingly difficult trading conditions" while Peter Sanchez-Iglesias also has shuttered his Paco Tapas restaurant in Bristol. 

 

Chef Tom Kerridge is also closing his Butcher’s Tap & Grill pub in London after two years of trading amid a “challenging climate”, though the venue will reopen as a new pub overseen by the former head chef at the two-Michelin-starred Hand & Flowers, Tom De Keyser.

 

Ashmores will close on 5 July.