Seafood eaterie is still closed

A SEAFOOD restaurant that shut “owing thousands” to staff and suppliers remains closed – despite saying it would reopen on Thursday.

Police were called to the Seafood Shack restaurant in Cardiff’s St Mary Street last week amid what is understood to be a dispute with the landlord.

A spokesman for the police said that officers attended following reports of intruders.

She said: “We were called... but when we got there it was a civil matter between the tenant and owner of the building.”

Despite announcing last week that the restaurant would open under new management on Thursday, with a new operating company, it has remained closed and shuttered.

The sign on the window announcing its reopening is still in the window but there is no sign of life inside, except for a piece of paper on a table advertising jobs.

On Facebook last week, Cathy Molinaro asked “Are you still reopening tomorrow? There are rumours that you are not and my friend has booked a table for quite a few of us.” There was no reply. The restaurant’s new manager Diana Ellis told WalesOnline that Seafood Shack was now operating under a new company, called Muldoon’s Bar and Restaurant Cardiff, and that none of the former directors was involved.

A spokesman for Cardiff council confirmed an application had been received to transfer the Seafood Shack’s alcohol licence to Muldoon’s Bar and Restaurant Cardiff Limited.

In December former director Darryl Kavanagh blamed the restaurant’s closure on a “cyber attack”, which he said resulted in a loss of between £70,000 and £100,000 between November and December.

Since closing one former member of staff said they were owed £1,500 and another said they are owed £4,000.

A supplier has said his firm’s reputation has been damaged after a number of contacts were not paid for their work.

The company’s former fish supplier has also claimed it is owed £25,000.

Records on Companies House show that Muldoon’s was set up on January 10.

Diana Ellis, 50, is listed as the company’s only director and shareholder.

Ms Ellis has been contacted for comment.