Hospitality Ulster appeals to landlords after another NI business reveals plans to close

The chief executive of Hospitality Ulster has appealed to landlords to ‘ be conscious of the increased costs on tenants’.

The statement comes after award-winning Northern Ireland fine dining restaurant A Peculiar Tea revealed plans to close next month.

​Chef innovator Gemma Austin, owner of the Belfast eatery, made the online announced this morning (Wednesday) citing high costs including rent and rates ‘means that our style of dining is unfeasible’.

Colin Neill, chief executive, Hospitality Ulster

In response Colin Neill, chief executive, Hospitality Ulster, said: "A Peculiar Tea is a unique offering in Belfast city centre and the fact that it has now decided to return to being a pop-up offering is reflective of the multiple pressures facing operators at the minute.

"I would appeal to landlords to be conscious of the increased costs on tenants with regard to repairs and other external factors such as high business rates in this current climate, which affects hospitality businesses especially."