A RESTAURANT in Frome Market Place, which opened last April, has closed down following low foot fall, rising energy costs and expensive rent bills.
Home in Frome, which served breakfast, brunch and grazing boards, closed its doors at the weekend, on Sunday 15th January.
Owner of the restaurant Keren Haydon said, “Our incomings just didn’t cover the costs. We needed to be busier. Energy bills are expensive, the rent hasn’t gone up but it’s always been high as we are in a very central Frome. Ingredients have also gone up by 20% and we can’t put an uplift on the menu because people wouldn’t be able to afford it.
“People are eating out less and are being very careful with their money. We never really had a chance to get going. We struggled last summer because it was very hot and we do not have any outside space and people would go to places where they could sit outside.
“We really noticed foot fall start to reduce in October last year, when everything to do with the cost-of-living crisis was starting to be announced.
“Then, we had expected to be really busy over Christmas because we had the bookings, but then we weren’t because everyone was ill. We had 40 people cancel their bookings due to Covid and illness. We were also short staffed because staff members were not well.”
Before opening Home, Keren ran an event catering company named Events Horizon, which launched in 2011. She also started a takeaway and delivery service during lockdown, with her husband, called Keren’s Comfort Kitchen, enabling people to order hot or cold meals, pudding boxes, Sunday roasts, cream teas and birthday cakes, delivered to their homes.
Keren purchased the building at 21 Market Place, which was formerly the Fat Radish, following a suggestion that she buy it, and a GoFundMe page that was set up by her eldest daughter. The support of friends, family, supporters and investments meant that Home could open.
Keren said, “Now we are closing the restaurant, I will be pushing again to do events, although, not many people are having events at the moment because of the rising costs of things. I will also be continuing to offer a takeaway service through Keren’s Comfort Kitchen. This won’t be delivery, but people can order food to takeaway. It will get going in a couple of weeks, once we have had a chance to sort a few things out.”
Sharing memories of the restaurant Keren said, “Over the past year, we’ve had a few wedding parties here. There was also one man and his family who came in to celebrate his 30th birthday and his wedding proposal. He missed celebrating this originally because he was very poorly with a brain tumour. It was lovely to see them all celebrating here.”
“We are just so grateful for everyone’s support in the community in such a short time. It’s been such a lovely place to work and is a lovely space to run a restaurant from.
The Home in Frome building is now up for lease.
For more information about Keren’s Comfort Kitchen and to find out when the takeaway service is starting, email Keren via kerenhayden@gmail.com
