Building work is killing my restaurant, says boss
ABIRMINGHAM city centre restaurant says it is fighting for survival after the road it is on was turned into a building site.
Zen Metro, in Cornwall Street, said a neighbouring renovation project was having a huge impact on trade and his restaurant was losing up to £5,000 a week as a result.
Work began in September to convert an empty office at Herbert House into luxury apartments. The work is due to continue until late 2018.
Other restaurants in the street include Opus and Michelin-starred Purnell’s.
But the work has meant a new oneway traffic system has been implemented along with suspended parking bays. Scaffolding is also obscuring the bar and restaurant.
Zen Metro opened in June 2016 after a glamorous £250,000 facelift transforming it into a high end Thai restaurant – and director Jaimon George was keen to stress it was still open for business.
He said: “We have really been welcomed by the business community who enjoy the atmosphere and the authentic food we serve here. Until this building work began, the restaurant was doing really well.
He added: “It’s great to see a developed Cornwall Street at the end of it all, but the work has had a very negative impact on our business. It’s been a nightmare. We saw a drop of £5,000 a week in profits as soon as the Herbert House work started in early September. Livelihoods of 18 employees are at stake here.”
Herbert House was bought by Hong Kong-based investors and the development is being led by Adapt Real Estate which has begun to create 77 new apartments together with the creation of three new ground floor shops.
Bon Bon Cafe owner John Wilson, baseed in nearby New Market Street said his trade has also suffered.
He said: “A lot of people don’t know we are open. I’m down 20 per cent on takings and that is a lot considering we are a very small business.
“A lot of regulars have stopped coming in because the street looks closed thanks to the blocked off scaffolding. My big worry is that they won’t return when things are back to normal this time next year. Footfall has been completely lost.”
Ann Tonks, of Opus restaurant which is directly opposite the Herbert House work, said the ongoing works were “not ideal”. She said: “Opus has been covered in scaffolding for two years as our landlord is working to improve the building, so we are very used to the fact that our business is largely obscured to the public. The fact that there is now work happening over the road is not a huge issue for us. It will be fantastic for the area once the development is finished.
“But of course until then, it’s not ideal and I have asked the developers for help – I requested for signage off Livery Street to indicate to motorists they need to turn there in order to access Cornwall Street.”