Nottinghamshire's food and drink scene has celebrated new openings in 2022. There's been the new fine dining restaurant, Cleaver & Wake, at the Island Quarter in Nottingham to fish and chip shop Mother Hubbard's at Beechdale Retail Park.
Burger restaurants and takeaways, too many to mention by name, have sprung up everywhere. But for every opening, there's been a closure, often with a heart-breaking story behind it. In some cases it's due to financial pressures, where businesses still reeling from the impact of the pandemic have then been hit by rising energy bills and the cost of living crisis.
Others have closed because the owners want to escape the pressure and long hours of the hospitality industry to spend more time with their family. There remains a huge amount of uncertainty for restaurant, cafe and pub owners - but one certainty is that regulars of those that have shut up shop in 2022 sorely miss them now they're no longer around.
Read more: Nottingham restaurant's message to customers as 'perfect storm' forces closure
GinSecco, in the Cornerhouse, Nice Pie in Compton Acres, Kelly's Cafe, Dunkirk, and Ana Bedouin in Sherwood were among the losses. Feed Me! Fully Loaded, in Beeston Ryland, the Dapper Spaniel in Rolleston, and the Revival Coffee Co. in Arnold, also shut up shop for good
Others we said farewell to this year were:
Ottimo
One of the biggest shocks was the sudden closure of Italian restaurant Ottimo - not least for the 30 or so staff who had a job one day and were redundant the next. The 150-seater restaurant had been open at the flagship £50million Beeston Square development for just seven months.
But in that short time it had made an impression on food lovers, who were impressed by the selection of dishes and described it as a lovely place with a buzzing atmosphere. Staff were were told about the closure with immediate effect at the end of November.
The light and airy contemporary style restaurant boasted an open kitchen and huge pizza oven next to the bar. As well as pizza, Ottimo served classic pastas dishes, a Sunday roast and cocktails.
Mushy Pea Stall
Nottingham lost one of its great traditions in April. The famous Mushy Pea Stall, in Victoria Centre, shut for good after a series of obstacles over the last two years. Problems started during the Covid pandemic when owner Claire Fisher struggled with lack of footfall.
Despite Government grants, business remained slow and the demand for pots of mushy peas and mint sauce dwindled. The last straw was the rising cost of peas. When Claire first took over the stall six years earlier the price had been around £6 a bag. By the time she closed it had rocketed to more than £20.
Mushy pea lovers were saddened by the loss and one described the closure as 'sacrilege'.
Albie's
The neighbourhood cafe, in Carlton Hill, was a popular business with customers seeking breakfast, lunch, tapas, cake or just a good cup of coffee. Evening pop-ups for up-and-coming chefs were also an attraction.
The cafe opened in a former jewellery shop in December 2019, just before the first Covid lockdown, but the owner Anna Horsley adapted quickly by creating an undercover outdoor seating area. The cafe was put up for sale in May and eventually closed down in July.
Anna said it was with a heavy heart that she was quitting the business, as the community had been so supportive, but opening just before the pandemic had had a major impact on the business.
Crafty Crow
The craft beer pub was praised for its huge range of ales to suit every taste, comfortable seating and lovely location in the shadow of Nottingham Castle. First opening in 2014, the dog-friendly pub championed British artisan producers, brewers, vintners and distillers.
However, owners Magpie Brewery called time in January, saying: "It is with great sadness, that after a challenging (to say the least!) couple of years, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors here at Crafty Crow for good. We’d like to thank all of our lovely customers for your support over the past eight years, and our wonderful staff for all their hard work. We love you all and will miss you greatly."
One regular at the Friar Lane pub said they were devastated that such a 'great venue' had been lost. Another pub-goer lamented: "Loved going in there for a lovely beer in a beautiful part of the city."
Crazy Fish My Love
Crazy Fish My Love was Edin Gondzic's reincarnation for the site in Carlton Street, Hockley, which originally started out as Edin's Natural Kitchen in Hockley in 2013. It was later followed by Sexy Mamma Love Cicchetti.
Crazy Fish My Love put an Italian spin on seafood, serving dishes such as octopus spaghetti and clam tagliatelle. Starters of monkfish goujons and salt and pepper calamari, in a laid-back bistro setting in Carlton Street, Hockley.
The restaurant received mixed reviews but those giving it five stars said the food was amazing, the staff were friendly and the ambiance lovely. The restaurant closed down a few months ago and is currently being converted into a chain restaurant, Pizza Pilgrims.
Carriages
Hailed outstanding and fabulous, the closure of Carriages in Newark hit hard. The steam punk-themed cafe opened in 2017 after a £500,000 makeover of a former Victorian ticket office and waiting rooms on the platform of Newark Castle railway station.
The building, which had been a wine bar, was in a state of disrepair but it was brought back to life with Wendy Baird and her daughter Abigail at the helm. Breakfasts and afternoon tea - or just a cup of coffee - could be enjoyed in the pleasant surroundings.
The business ran as a community cafe providing a three-course meal for just £3 for those who were most at need. But it become a tour de force during the pandemic, providing hundreds of two-course meals to make sure the most vulnerable and isolated didn't go hungry during the crisis.
Trade wasn't the same when the cafe reopened after each lockdown and they had to reduce opening hours. Carriages closed in June after going into liquidation. They blamed a 'perfect storm' of events for its downfall.
One person described it as a 'huge loss'. Another said: "Thank you for bringing style and elegance to Newark Castle. You will be missed by many."
Hand & Heart
There was much sadness when this gem of a pub closed down. Set within sandstone caves the pub closed without any explanation. The last communication was a message on social media on July 9 which said: "Sorry we are currently closed and do not yet have a reopening date."
The independent pub was a hit for its Sunday lunches, real ales, extensive selection of whisky - and the atmospheric setting.
The pub, in Derby Road, near Canning Circus, opened after lockdown for brief spell in September 2020 but then closed again as Nottingham when into a second lockdown a few weeks later. There were more closures in 2021 due to staff shortages but even when it was open drinkers said it appeared closed to passers-by due to the lack of outside lighting.
Things appeared to be getting back to normal in 2022, although the pub was only open four days a week, from Thursday to Sunday, but the doors closed again in the summer and it has never reopened since.
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