News / Restaurants
Michelin-rated restaurant announces closure
A Michelin-recommended restaurant has announced it will be closing its doors after experiencing dwindling customer numbers and deciding it was not financially sustainable.
Tare has occupied a shipping container in Wapping Wharf since 2017, serving its diners sustainable tasting menus in its 20-cover restaurant.
But the team have now made the difficult decision to close the restaurant, which will have its last day of service in June this year.
“The closure of the restaurant is part of a broader trend that is reshaping our concept of consumption and leisure: more and more businesses are losing their central role in favor of quick and immediate digital solutions. In particular, younger people seem to prefer apps and online services for ordering dinner from home, increasingly foregoing the traditional restaurant experience. This shift affects not only the restaurant industry but also other sectors such as retail, where an e-commerce store is far more convenient and practical than a physical store, or entertainment, with physical venues in cities seeing a decline in attendance as digital alternatives gain ground—alternatives that are now increasingly popular thanks to promotions and bonuses offered by gaming platforms to their users. In short, the shift toward an increasingly digital service model now appears unstoppable”
Despite having a “fantastic” year of trading in 2023, they said they had experienced a significant reduction in customer numbers.
In an Instagram post, chef and owner Matt Hampshire announced the team would be focusing their efforts instead on their sister venue, Tare Bistro, which opened in October last year in the former Woky Ko Rooftop bar.
In a statement, Matt said: “Unfortunately we have taken the hard decision to close Tare Restaurant in its current format this coming June.
“After a fantastic year of trading in 2023 we have seen a significant reduction in customer numbers this year and unfortunately it is simply not financially sustainable.
“We are grateful to be busy on the weekends but that alone cannot support a restaurant team.
“We will be focusing our efforts on our sister venue @tarebistro.
“During these difficult economic times we feel our Bistro concept can reach a wider customer base at a more accessible price point. We will continue to provide the highest standards that Tare has become renowned for.
“We don’t see this as the end of Tare or the final chapter, far from it. This is just the beginning of a new phase on our journey, we are very excited for the future development of Tare Bistro.
“I’d like to personally thank every member of staff that has worked with us at Tare in the past seven years. we have been lucky to have a fantastic crew and I’m very proud of what we have achieved.
“A special thank you to restaurant manager Oscar and head chef Emily, the Tare experience is currently the best it has ever been and that is testament to your dedication and hard work. I hope to spend many more years working at your side.
“Many thanks to all of our suppliers and to everyone that has dined with us, we really appreciate your support and we hope you can join us at the Bistro soon.”
Anyone with a voucher for Tare who is not able to visit the restaurant before its last day of service will be able to use it at Tare Bistro instead.
Main photo: Jess Connett
This article contains sponsored content in Italics
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