'Dream' restaurant opens and closes due to lockdown

The Indian Tavern in Brierley Hill had its opening night on Tuesday, just two days before it will be forced to close under lockdown

A restaurateur opened his "dream" business on Tuesday but had to close it on Wednesday because of lockdown.

Kam Sood launched the Indian Tavern in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, with his friend and his brother.

He said they decided to go ahead with the planned opening as "you can't put off your dreams forever".

England's new lockdown measures, which will see the closure of bars and restaurants, come into force at 00:01 GMT on Thursday until 2 December.

Mr Sood said the launch of the business had been planned for months even though people told him and his colleagues they were "crazy" to open under the ongoing uncertainty.

"We have really put our hearts and soul into this," he said.

"If we didn't do it now, there would have been more delays."

Kam Sood is hoping the business can really flourish when it reopens after lockdown

Instead they are looking at doing take away or deliveries, but Mr Sood said they will not be able to furlough their staff as they have not been open for the requisite amount of time.

"It is a bit of a challenge, but we just need to do the best we can with it really," he said

The restaurant has been fully booked for the two days it has been open and bookings are being taken for once lockdown is lifted, so business can begin in earnest, he said.

Oliver Ngo was due to celebrate the opening of his new branch of Vietnamese Street Kitchen later this month

Meanwhile Oliver Ngo was due to open his Vietnamese Street Kitchen venture later this month.

He, along with his aunt and uncle, already have a site in Resorts World in Birmingham, but was due to open a new branch in the Bullring.

This is now on hold until at least early December, he said.

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He said hearing lockdown announcements from the government broke his heart.

"Financially, it is going to impact us big time.

"If lockdown lasts for two or three months we can ride the storm, but if the restrictions continue for six months to a year, it is back to the drawing board and we may have to close down.

"But me as a businessman and an optimist, I will twist and turn as and when it is requested."

Mr Ngo said he hopes, after this lockdown, things might settle down for hospitality venues

He is currently looking at ways of opening for takeaways from the Bullring restaurant.

"To be fair, I'm as positive person as I can be, I'm just trying to keep positive, but every time we take one step forward, we get pulled back.

"I'm hoping for, whatever the new normal is [after lockdown] to be able to settle down, adapt and move forward, rather than having the goalposts moved every week [when restrictions change]."

During the lockdown period, the government has introduced a number of support measures for businesses forced to close, including business rates relief and a bounce back loan.

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