A popular restaurant on the Gateshead Quayside has announced it is closing its kitchen for good as rising bills take their toll on the business.
River Beat Quayside has welcomed customers for the last eight years, serving up food and cocktails to regulars, tourists and even celebrities including Sam Fender. Owner and head chef Andrew Drape invested more than £50,000 transforming Pipewellgate House, next to the Swing Bridge, into River Beat, opening it as a relaxed restaurant offering tapas with an Asian twist.
Built in 1845, the building once housed the old River Police Station, and over the last two decades has hosted a succession of restaurants, including the South Bank Grill. Before opening in 2015 Mr Drape told of the potential in the site thanks to its amazing views. However, the company announced the restaurant’s closure on social media channels, highlighting inflationary pressures and parking issues.
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Mr Drape made the closure announcement on social media channels, saying: “It comes with great sadness as well as pride with our journey for the last 8 years, but with energy bills and food hikes; the no parking around every inch of our building. We hope everyone who dined/party and laughed with us always remember us. I’d also like to thank all the staff who were part of the adventure.”
After the announcement the restaurant was inundated with messages. Mr Drape said: “The response we have had has been amazing - why weren’t they in the restaurant two weeks ago? In all seriousness the response has been great but it won’t feed mouths or put money in the till, and there had to come a cut off point. Everyone is struggling and people are scared to go out and spend. How can we say to people ‘I know money is tight and heating bills are going up but can you come out and eat?’
River Beat is based in Pipewellgate House which once housed the old River Police Station, and over the last two decades has hosted a succession of restaurants, including the South Bank Grill.
Before opening in 2015 Mr Drape told of the potential in the site thanks to its amazing views, but he said the months following the easing of restrictions have brought a whole range of new challenges.
He said: “There have been a number of factors. All around the building are double yellow lines, so there’s nowhere nearby to park. And then Covid hasn’t gone away either. We had cancellations over Christmas, with some big bookings, and you can’t fill those last minute when everyone already has plans.
“I’m the one and only director, with no backers, so I was in getting into more and more debt. With rising rates, bills, staff costs and food costs you need £10,000 a month before you open the doors. And then there’s all the other costs - pest control, security alarms, accountants. The last pay packets to staff came out of my pocket.
“As much as I love River Beat and the amazing views, and the awards we won and the best staff - I couldn’t ask for better staff - I had to close. When I broke the news to the staff they were heartbroken.”
While River Beat will now be liquidated, Mr Drape also has another restaurant venture in Sunderland, Buddha Beat, which opened in the former D’Acqua restaurant site in John Street where he has signed a 10-year lease for the Grade II listed basement site.
He says the Sunderland restaurant is reporting profit after just three weeks of trading, welcoming in more than double the number of customers too, in stark contrast to the Gateshead site, which has seen energy bills soar from £800 a month to £4,000.
Mr Drape added: “The Sunderland restaurant is going really well, and the support I’ve had from the council, including grants to open, has been brilliant.”
He added that any vouchers redeemed will be valid at Buddha Beat in Sunderland and that they would be honoured with an extra six months.
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