A former fully vegan restaurant that boasted plant-based food was 'essential for a healthy life' will bizarrely start serving meat dishes.
The Mango Tree located in Taunton, Somerset has failed to rally enough plant-based customers to their restaurant, and have consequently decided to rebrand their eatery entirely.
The shocking decision has left plant-based customers furious, with them branding the bosses "unethical".
Horrified clients have also slammed the decision, saying that serving animal products in the eatery would be "worse than closing."
The owners are insisting though that staffing and upkeep costs are as important as the values of being vegan.
A spokesperson for the formerly plant-based bar and restaurant said: "The only other option was to close permanently.
"Ethics extend to the jobs and welfare of our wonderful team, to whom we owe a great deal, and another chance."
The spokesperson also admitted: "Hospitality is increasingly tough and continuing as a purely vegan restaurant has not been sustainable for a considerable amount of time as there are simply not enough customers supporting us in our current format."
The owners have also been accused of writing 'cryptic' posts online, which has further infuriated their vegan following.
While posts on social media appear to tease a 'new vibe' to the restaurant following a refurb, customers have remained confused over what this means.
The Mango Tree - which is expected to re-open in the autumn - has said that once it does, it will no longer be "exclusively vegan".
And while it is understood that the eatery will now be serving meat, it currently remains unclear which animal products could be introduced to the dining options.
Regular customers have been left questioning the executive decision made by the owners.
One person asked: "Surely you'd just go out of business rather than profit from the exploitation of animals?"
While another blasted: "This is upsetting. I have to say I have been to this restaurant a few times and it was beautiful!
"It's currently going through a renovation, obviously in more ways than one.
"So disappointed having seen this."
And a third fumed: "I think they'll find meat is more expensive, so good luck with that."
While a fourth has accused the restaurant of being 'close-minded omnivores', saying: "Seems like they're likely to lose a lot of their original vegan clientele and probably not gain that many more close-minded omnivores they're targeting as they're so closely associated with plant-based.
"Seems like a lose-lose to me."
And one customer said: "Seems worse than closing, selling meat."
The decision made by The Mango Tree is not the first. A host of trendy vegan restaurants have in recent years been forced to shut - because there just aren't enough vegans.
In July 2019, the Miami Burger - which sold 100 per cent vegan burgers - closed in Reading, Berkshire just six months after opening.
And another vegan restaurant, called 1947, closed in Manchester three months ago, after nine years of business.
