...And here are the cafes, pubs and restaurants we’ve loved and lost
Belgo
July got off to the worst start for staff at Nottingham’s mussels and beer restaurant Belgo, in Weekday Cross, which was one of 91 restaurants owned by Casual Dining Group, to close across the UK.
Casual Dining Group chief executive James Spragg said: “After reviewing all our options with advisers, it became clear that we needed to take this action in order to protect the business and secure the best possible future for Casual Dining Group as we look to conclude a potential sale.”
Coffee House of Nottingham
With space at a premium, social distancing would have been impossible in the cosy coffee shop.
Owners Anna Naliato and her husband Alder Santos, who left Brazil to run the Nottingham business after buying it off ebay three years ago, decided not to renew the lease and announced they wouldn’t be reopening last month.
While it’s the end for the charming coffee shop, it’s not finito for their specialty coffee, such as Jamaican Blue Mountain, which can be bought online.
Announcing the closure they said: “We love our cosy little place and we know you do too. However, with the current social distancing restrictions keeping the business in such small space would not be possible. We may find a new charming place in the future but for the moment we’ll continue to offer our beloved coffee beans online, making sure everybody can safely have high quality coffee at home.” Pret
Nottingham used to have two branches of the high street sandwich chain within spitting distance. One in Exchange Arcade remains open but the shop in Albert Street has permanently closed. It was named as one of 30 that wouldn’t be reopening after sales dived by 74 percent compared with the same period last year.
The Plough
The couple behind The Plough, which won the award for Best Public House at the Nottinghamshire Food and Drink Awards 2019, decided to quit while they were ahead.
After 14 years at the helm Rachael and Mark Hughes called time at the local in Normanton-onthe-wolds, saying that social distancing and reduced customer numbers combined with excessive overheads and trading restriction were not a viable option.
Describing the decision as “heartbreaking” they added: “There are no scenarios in which we can find a solution to enable us to continue trading. This decision has not come lightly, and it has certainly been an emotional roller coaster over the last 14 weeks as we have battled with our head and our hearts.”
They are now tenants at the newly opened Air Hostess pub in Tollerton, and have taken the staff from The Plough with them, securing their jobs for the future. Overdraught
The pandemic sealed the fate of the pub, which opened just two years ago, at Canning Circus.
A former Natwest bank underwent a £50,000 transformation to create a quirky pub with a nod to its previous use, including a bar decorated with coins.
Owners Rob and Ginny Witt called time at the end of June, announcing the news “with a heavy heart” in a Facebook post.
“After much soul searching and deliberation, we have decided not to reopen The Overdraught. We are gutted for our team.
“They have worked tirelessly to make it the best it can be and we really appreciate everything they have done.”
They called it quits to focus their energies on making their other ventures, the microbrewery Totally Brewed, and micro pub Totally Tapped in Beeston, a success.