Newton Abbot restaurant fears for future as trade declines

An award-winning independent restaurant has warned that its future is under threat after a sharp drop in weekend trade left owners facing difficult decisions about the business’s survival.
Social Bar & Kitchen, in Newton Abbot, said it had been built over the past three years through “love, passion and a huge amount of hard work”, but warned that trading conditions had become increasingly challenging.
In a statement shared with customers, the business said weekend trade, which it described as vital to its survival, had “dropped dramatically” as many households continued to face rising living costs.
The restaurant said: “The reality is that things are incredibly tough right now.
“Weekend trade, which is vital for our survival, has dropped dramatically. We know times are difficult for many of our customers too. The cost of living continues to rise, and we completely understand that eating out has become a luxury that many people simply cannot do as often as they once could.”
Owners said they had attempted to adapt to the challenges by reducing prices, absorbing rising costs where possible, introducing new offers and continuing to focus on local produce and customer service.
However, they added that those measures had not been enough to reverse the decline in trade.
The statement continued: “The truth is that we’re now approaching a point where it may no longer make financial sense for us to continue trading.”
The restaurant stressed it was not seeking sympathy and was not blaming customers for the situation.
It said: “We’re not looking for sympathy, and we’re certainly not blaming anyone. We just wanted to be honest with the community that has supported us from the very beginning.”
The business appealed to customers to support it in the coming weeks by booking a table, recommending the restaurant to friends, sharing its social media posts or visiting in person.
The statement added: “Every booking genuinely matters right now.”
Social Bar & Kitchen said it was proud to be an award-winning independent restaurant and would be “heartbroken” to become another small business lost from the town.
Owners warned that if trading conditions do not improve, they may have no choice but to make difficult decisions about the future of the business.
The statement concluded: “Thank you to every single person who has supported us over the last three years. We truly hope we’re still here for many more.”