Town centre restaurant to close (From Essex County Standard)
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Town centre restaurant to close
1:46pm Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News
La Tasca in North Hill, Colchester
RESTAURANT La Tasca in North Hill, Colchester is set to close on Saturday, with the loss of up to 16 jobs.
The Spanish food chain has decided to shut the branch as part of a restructure of the company.
The restaurant manager was unable to comment last night.
Ron Levy, secretary of Colchester Retail Business Association, spoke of his sadness at the loss of the restaurant.
He said: “Any business that closes down is a very great disappointment to us because it is a part of the town.
“It is very sad but there is virtually nothing that can be done about it. People do not close down a successful business. It could well be a victim of the recession.
“People don’t have the spare cash to spend on luxuries like eating out.”
It is understood a number of other La Tasca branches could also be closed under the restructure.
Comments(19)
SOMETHING2SAY
says...
3:14pm Wed 12 Sep 12
TheCaptain
says...
3:19pm Wed 12 Sep 12
A real shame for the staff.
Smouldering Ewok
says...
3:53pm Wed 12 Sep 12
I really hope we don't get yet another hairdresser's to replace them.
romantic
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4:29pm Wed 12 Sep 12
Eating out is one of the things that people cut down on when times are hard, but I am surprised it is this place which is closing down.
taylor08
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8:51pm Wed 12 Sep 12
greenbroker
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11:28pm Wed 12 Sep 12
Boris
says...
12:11am Thu 13 Sep 12
In July 2011 a Spanish lad asked the chef (also Spanish) what it was like to work there. He said it wasn't a bad place to work, but he wouldn't eat the meals he cooked, as they were crap.
.
It would be good to have an authentic Spanish restaurant in town, but it would probably need to be more expensive.
Say It As It Is OK?
says...
4:22am Thu 13 Sep 12
Of course we now know Number Nine promptly re-opened, by the same person, using a new registered company name, but not before he had conveniently wiped clean all his earlier debts by setting up a new registered holding company. Now this is one restaurant I would not patronise, on principle!
romantic
says...
9:10am Thu 13 Sep 12
Say It As It Is OK? wrote:Agree that what happened with Number Nine was absolutely disgraceful, and I do hope La Tasca, as part of a larger chain, do not do the same.
Hopefully La Tasca won't close leaving debts to many local suppliers, CBC and the Tax man as Number Nine restaurant, also on North Hill, did recently.
Of course we now know Number Nine promptly re-opened, by the same person, using a new registered company name, but not before he had conveniently wiped clean all his earlier debts by setting up a new registered holding company. Now this is one restaurant I would not patronise, on principle!
I also hope that it does not get turned into another heat in the bag pasta place, as we already have enough of those on North Hill. If you want proper food, go to Granata´s. Or Mussi´s.
jim_bo
says...
9:56am Thu 13 Sep 12
Poor, disinterested service and tasteless overpriced food.
If you've ever eaten Tapas you wouldn't recognised the mush they serve here.
Can't help feeling its their own fault!
romantic
says...
11:42am Thu 13 Sep 12
jim_bo wrote:Must have gone downhill over the past years, I used to go 4 or 5 years ago quite often and it was pretty good then. But must admit it´s at least 2 years since I last went in, and places can change a lot in that time.
I've eaten here too and it was truly awful.
Poor, disinterested service and tasteless overpriced food.
If you've ever eaten Tapas you wouldn't recognised the mush they serve here.
Can't help feeling its their own fault!
wellnow
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12:13pm Thu 13 Sep 12
sandgronun64
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12:56pm Thu 13 Sep 12
One has to consider the timing of this, given the performance of Number nine, and the fact that many town centre restaurants are rarely full these days. As to the success of pizza, Chinese, Thai, Indian etc., establishments, let's not forget that they offer take-away and delivery; thereby increasing customer base and (in some cases) accessibility.
With so many restaurants in the area, and others yet to follow (the Stockwell is allegedly due to open in November - although a walk past the site may not inspire confidence if you plan to eat there anytime soon), the new Italian near Castle park and others recently opened/revamped on the High Street, it could just be that peoples increasingly tight household budgets will ultimately dictate the budget range required by the residents of Colchester.
Interestingly, a number of commenters have said that they ate there a 'couple of years ago' but not recently. This says it all. The first thing we trim in a recession is the more extravagant pleasures in life. Best of luck if you are new to the restaurant trade then and sport high ideals. In a couple of years, you too could have your own culinary obituary appearing right here in the gazette.
SOMETHING2SAY
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6:35pm Thu 13 Sep 12
itsawedge
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7:51pm Fri 14 Sep 12
This week a group of 6 of us went down to Calnegrie for lunch at a restaurant on the beach, 6 salads, choice of 4 starters, choice of 4 main courses,choice of 6 desserts,
2 litre jugs of beer, 2 bottles of wine, coffee and a complimentary liqueur, total price ? 8€ or in pound notes 6.40., and all this whist watching the waves crashing on the beach.
romantic
says...
11:21am Mon 17 Sep 12
Tony Willis wrote:Only if you go to the tourist traps. In the Spain where the locals go, the food and wine are cheap and of excellent quality. But it does mean getting away from all the bored expats who spend their lives moaning about how awful the Spanish are.
wellnow wrote:Completely agree tried living in Spain for a while horrible dirty place , if you want regular food poisoning live in Spain.
spanish food is crap.tapas is a bite to eat given great prominence by money making restaurateurs that hasn't worked in this instance .good.
historyman22
says...
12:27pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Hardly the answer to a pressing hunger pang, and does little to explain the fate of the Restaurant in question.
Should we apply the same logic to the other culinary genres? Indian food - go to Mumbai(?); Italian food - Milan/Rome; Pizza - Napoli; Chinese - Beijing; Thai - Bangkok(?) etc.
This story was not about the best place to get Spanish food. (As the only 'Tapas' Bar in town it might well have even been the best on offer locally), but about the security of restaurants generally in this economic climate.
The picture of struggling restaurants is a national one and is even reflected in the capital; London once seen as a place where exculisivity and marketing would render restaurants 'recession-proof' has seen an alarming trend toward restaurant closure in the last 12 months.
New restaurants including Galoupet in Knightsbridge and Assemblage in Spitalfields – two areas thought of as London hotspots – closed earlier this year within months of opening; this despite strong financial backing and very favourable reviews from the national press.
'Chains' in the capital have also felt the pinch, with Balans and Brasserie Gerard being among higher profile casualties, whilst the Frankie’s (family friendly) chain has also struggled in 2012.
Whilst many might be tempted to think that struggling restaurants outside of London will begin to enjoy the return to ‘fortune’ enjoyed by those in the Capital, evidence suggests that even there, restaurants, and particularly new ones, are struggling as much those ‘further north.’
This is not a story about Tapas then, but a story about the economy of Colchester, and a warning to anyone who does not properly assess the prospects of a restaurant business before opening a new venue.
The dream can easily be eclipsed by the stark reality of the customer needs and purchasing profile they offer.
daviep26
says...
2:23pm Mon 17 Sep 12
As others have said, it is a shame that Colchester does not have an authentic tapa's bar which offers true quality Spanish food. Having lived in the proper part of Spain (not expat South) I can testify that true Spanish food is delicious. I would love to see one in town - but not a chain version a la La Tasca. Disagree with the quote in the main article about recession etc to blame; people will pay for quality.
greenbroker says...
2:30pm Wed 12 Sep 12