Four regular customers of a Norwich restaurant have joined forces to save it from closure
Four regular customers of a Norwich restaurant have joined forces to save it from closure.
The Last Wine Bar and Restaurant on St George’s Street was bought by the four on the eve of the company’s 29th anniversary; the restaurant’s founder, James Sawrey-Cookson, is retiring.
Management consultant Lynda Baxter said: “The four of us are long-standing customers who all love The Last and by investing we are enabling it to face the future with confidence.”
The three other new owners are Mark Duffy, chairman at Dardan Security, local businessman Mark Loveday, and Vince Pearson, chairman of Waterfall Elior.
The restaurant will be run by a management team made up of manager Emma Neal, head chef Iain McCarten, deputy manager Gracie Sutton and business support coach Richard Maxwell.
Ms Baxter said: “We want to pay tribute to what James Sawrey-Cookson created here, and we are delighted to be able to take the business forward with its management team.
“We certainly won’t be changing what people love about The Last, but we will be looking to invest in improvements to ensure The Last has a bright future.”
The Last Wine Bar and Restaurant was founded in a former shoe factory on St George’s Street in Norwich in April 1990. It employs around 20 people.
