Bristol's first ever cheese restaurant is closing down this summer after eight months of service. The owner of The Cheese Platter in Redland is quitting the hospitality industry citing insurmountable staffing issues as the cause.
The restaurant first opened in November in The Vincent, a luxury retirement home on Redland Hill, run by former teacher Joshua Doyle. The owner said he was baffled the restaurant concept didn't already exist outside of London as a nation of cheese lovers.
Speaking on the difficult decision, the first-time restaurant owner and maitre d' said: “I’m sad to be joining that statistic of restaurants that don’t last a year but it’s there for a reason. It’s very true, it’s tough. The sad thing is this was actually growing.
Read more: Family-run restaurant in Bristol city centre to close after five decades
"We were starting to see bigger numbers and there are some that will say I’m a fool to give this up but I know the toll it’s taken on me and my mental health.”
In 2022, data collected from the accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young showed that 1,406 restaurants in the UK closed their doors in a 12-month period, up 64 per cent on the previous year. This rise is attributed to worker shortages and the cost of living crisis.
In The Cheese Platter's case, the kitchen has lost two head chefs in the space of a month and has a team of just two people. While Josh said he has always parted with his staff amicably - his first head chef Andy Brook left to pursue his dream of launching his own restaurant in Nailsea called White Truffle - he admitted he can't afford to keep losing and rehiring staff.
"I've learnt many lessons during this journey and one of them is you can own a restaurant but you’re not really in control of things unless you’re also the chef. I feel like chef owners have far more chance of success because it’s all about the food at the end of the day."
Josh explained how he was paying an agency to put out job advertisements across eight different platforms and "was barely getting anything from it". He reflected on how much the industry had changed since the pandemic and said he believed more and more chefs were "choosing to be freelance rather than tying down to a permanent gig".
He continued: "Although I never expected it to be this way, I'm happy to look at this as a successful eight-month pop-up. It was never planned to be a pop-up but that's what it ended up being."
Josh said he is leaving the business with his head held high. "I feel like I’ve done everything I can in my role but on a personal level, I’ve reached this junction now that if I want to keep the business alive I’m drawing into more and more personal funds. I just don’t think I’m willing to do that on what is essentially a gamble."
While it's the end of the road for The Cheese Platter for Josh, he added he was happy to speak to anyone who was interested in continuing it as a brand. "Bristol loves quirky takes on food and it’s the spiritual home of cheese in many ways," he said, adding that he's “learnt the hard way” that hospitality is not for him and is seeking a job where he doesn’t take anything home with him at the end of the day.
Thanking his customers, he said: “I have nothing but gratitude for all of the diners who have been in. I’d say 99.9 per cent of them have been so encouraging. Even if they haven’t rushed to come back everyone has been very kind about the concept and food and very supportive."
He also thanked the suppliers who made the food and drinks menu so memorable, including The Bristol Cheesemonger, as well as Twisted Oak, Dunkertons, Pilton Cider and Dimpsey for drinks. "I wanted to give people an unforgettable experience and these suppliers helped me to do that," he said.
Josh is encouraging diners to support the restaurant during their last eight weeks of service. The Cheese Platter offers a la carte, Sunday roasts and Fondue Thursdays celebrating British cheeses as well as some from further afield. BristolLive awarded the food four stars in its opening week.
The Cheese Platter’s final day of service is on Saturday, July 23. You can book your table online or by calling 0117 242 0965.
The Vincent, Redland Hill, Redland, Bristol BS6 6BJ
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