A new restaurant is set to open soon in a former fine dining business which has been placed in voluntary liquidation as the owner responds to customer concerns.
The Croft is set to open at the former Ostlers restaurant in Severn Terrace, Worcester as early as next month as the owner addresses concerns about the old restaurant folding.
Ostlers, which closed in August, has since entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation as the owners address concerns about deposits for the former restaurant as they receive bookings for the new restaurant.
SHUT: Ostlers at Number 1 is to reopen as a new restaurant called The Croft (Image: Newsquest)
It is understood that any deposits that were being held by the previous company were transferred to the liquidator.
Ostlers at Number 1
Ostlers at Number 1 was a long-standing independent fine-dining restaurant located at 1 Severn Terrace in Worcester, near the Worcester Racecourse.
Opening in 1994, the name Ostlers was derived from a man or person employed at an inn to look after, stable, and feed the horses of travellers.
Ostlers ceased trading in August and the company subsequently entered liquidation.
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Tommy Badham, the owner, said: “Ostlers ceased trading in August and the company subsequently entered liquidation. It has obviously been a difficult period, but I have tried to be open about what happened and the circumstances that led to the closure.
“I am now working towards opening The Croft Worcester at the same premises, hopefully from the beginning of October. It will retain the restaurant side people know, while also introducing a new daytime offering.
“I appreciate there have been questions around customers, suppliers, deposits and vouchers. The liquidator is dealing with deposits that were held by the previous company, and I have also been given permission for The Croft to honour outstanding Ostlers gift vouchers. Most suppliers were up to date when the business closed, although some invoices inevitably fell due around the time trading ceased.
“There has been a mixture of reaction since I spoke publicly about the closure, which I expected given how complicated insolvency can be. My focus now is on dealing with matters properly, learning from what happened and getting The Croft ready to open.
“We’re already receiving bookings and seeing a really encouraging response to the new business, and I’m looking forward to welcoming people back to No. 1 Severn Terrace.”
In an article in Pershore Patty, the author writes that the restaurant focuses on relaxed, seasonal food, quality ingredients and warm hospitality, with a style of dining intended to feel informal and welcoming.
The food will be seasonal, offering evening dining, Sunday lunch and a daytime food menu.
