Yang Sing forced to quit Trafford Centre due to impact of virus
CHINESE RESTAURANT BOSSES LEFT WITH ‘NO OPTION’ BUT TO CLOSE DOWN AFTER 22 YEARS
YANG Sing has announced the closure of its Trafford Centre restaurant saying losses incurred by the coronavirus lockdown leave it with ‘no option.’
The Chinatown institution has been a fixture in the food court since the shopping centre opened in 1998.
But in an emotional message to customers, bosses say the Covid19 pandemic has had a ‘devastating effect’ on business. The firm’s long-standing George Street restaurant, one of the oldest in the city, and its nearby sister eatery Little Yang Sing will continue trading.
In a message, entitled ‘Goodbye and stay safe,’ the owners say: “Regretfully we have a very sad message to share with you. As a Chinese restaurant we have suffered the devastating effects of Covid-19 upon our business ever since mid-January, when it was first reported that an infectious disease was spreading in central China. By the time that things return to some semblance of normality, we would have had six or maybe seven more months of much reduced or zero business.
“Such is the level of our loss, despite the support offered by the government, we are unable to honour all the ongoing business expenditure, which continues to accrue even during lockdown and have no option but to close our doors. We would like to thank our dedicated and loyal staff for their hard work and support for all these years. A huge heartfelt thank you to all of you too. It has been such a privilege and a pleasure to serve you over the last 22 years. This is such a sad way to say goodbye. Stay home and stay safe.” Chinese restaurants were among of the first businesses to see custom hit by the coronavirus. Speaking to the M.E.N. in February, Yang Sing owner Gerry Yeung said: “The impact on business is very apparent. The Chinese community is obviously very concerned about the situation.” On Monday, Trafford Centre owner Intu said it expected to breach covenants on its current debts as its shopping centres struggle through the pandemic.