Jazz singer buys Southwold's Dutch Barn restaurant

Dublin-born jazz singer/songwriter and former broadcaster Ed Darragh has bought the Dutch Barn restaurant in the seaside town of Southwold, Suffolk.

The property is located by the River Blyth in Ferry Road between the harbour and the town and overlooks the sand dunes, sea and salt marshes of the Suffolk Heritage Coast.

It comprises a 40-seat restaurant and 15-seat lounge bar, along with three-bedroom owners' accommodation.

The restaurant, which was renowned for its fish-based English-style à la carte menu, will be radically overhauled by Darragh, who intends to relaunch the business as a piano and cocktail bar called Casa Mia Italian Piano Bar at the end of July.

It will serve Italian food and its main attraction will be the Grand Piano Bar featuring local, international and up-and-coming jazz, blues and classical artists.

The Ipswich office of Christie + Co sold the restaurant off a guide price of £599,950 on behalf of Winston and Mary Colloby, who have run the restaurant for the past 21 years.

By Angela Frewin