Jo Seagar’s cafe, school in liquidation
Celebrity chef Jo Seagar’s North Canterbury cafe and cook school is in liquidation.
Seagars at Oxford closed Friday. A sign on the door read: ‘‘Winslow Trading Company Ltd, operator of Seagar Cafe, Cook School, Kitchen Store and B&B has been placed in liquidation.’’
Jo Seagar and her husband, Ross, are joint directors of Winslow Trading Company Ltd.
‘‘Like many small businesses in Canterbury we have struggled to survive post-earthquakes. We would like to thank people for their wonderful support. It’s been a great 10 years and we have made some wonderful lifelong friends,’’ Seagar said yesterday.
She announced on her website in February that the business was on the market.
‘‘There have been a lot of rumours out there but yes, there is truth in this one – Seagars at Oxford . . . is for sale,’’ the website said.
Seagar said at the time she was hoping to find ‘‘the right new owner who will carry on and develop the extraordinary possibilities of this venture’’.
‘‘A couple of new opportunities have arisen for Ross and I and a fast approaching significant birthday have had us thinking about what we’d like to do for the next decade.’’
Seagar said in February her husband had taken a job outside of the business. The couple would remain living in the township, she said.
‘‘We are staying in Oxford as we really do love it here.’’
She indicated in the statement that she would like to still be involved in the business even after it sold.
‘‘With luck, the new business owner would like me to continue with a role in the cook school as I still have a passion for teaching and also love the people who come through the door of the cook school.’’
Oxford residents voiced their shock at the sudden closure on social media.
‘‘Jo put Oxford on the map and has done wonders for the town,’’ one Facebook user said.
Lorna Turpin said the cafe was ‘‘her second home’’.
‘‘I will miss it. I went there every day after my walk, staff were wonderful and had such rapport with the customers and the owners are such lovely people,’’ Turpin said.
Seagar was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year’s honours list for her work with Hospice New Zealand.