High parking charges and tough trading conditions have been blamed for the closure of a Lichfield restaurant.
Thrales, based on Tamworth Street in the city centre, had been under the same management for the past 23 years.
However, it has now served its last dish after the business could no longer trade.
And chef Simon Smith admitted the restaurant could not survive in tough economic times. He told Lichfield Live:
“We went into liquidation after 23 years. We could not compete with the £5 per head market – and the parking charges also lost us a lot of business.”
Thrales had developed a reputation as a fine dining establishment in the city, rated four out of five stars by visitors on TripAdvisor. Chef Simon has also become a popular figure thanks to his historical cookery shows with Prof Roland Rotherham
However, the demise of the restaurant has come in the wake of another city eatery after The English House opted to close in April.
The Thrales restaurant has been up for sale online for £499,950, although it is not known if a new buyer has been found.
That’s a shame. A large group of friends helped me celebrate my birthday there a couple of months ago and we thought it was excellent.
Worrying times as another decent Lichfield business bites the dust.
Sad that the business is closing but it’s disingenuous to cite parking charges – Thrales was right next to all the City’s big car parks which are all free after half six!
What utter nonsense to blame parking charges – even if it was chargable after 6.30, this would be the same parking that feeds 3 other restaurants within 50 yds of Thrales, all of which are managing to survive the “tough trading conditions”.
The reality is that it takes hard work and commercial acumen to run a succesful business.