A Newcastle burger boss has said it is amazing to be back serving customers once again following a rent row with landlords.
Patties Burger Joint on Chillingham Road, Heaton, has now reopened after being closed for almost six months after being served with a forfeiture notice by landlords, Ikonic Properties Ltd, in May.
Owner and chef Edward Anderson told Chronicle Live at the time that he had been negotiating the terms of his lease renewal with Ikonic Properties Ltd since October 2021 after they notified him they wanted to increase the rent by "£10,000 per year more". But Edward said he was shocked to discover that bailiffs had forced entry into his premises to change the locks and serve him with the notice.
He said that although he had a "casual arrangement" when it came to the specific date for paying his rent, he stressed that the payments were met each quarter. Edward believes that the landlord decided to issue the notice ahead of his lease ending in May by saying that he was late on his rent as a way of getting him to vacate the premises or to agree to a new lease on their terms with an increased rent.
But now Edward is back serving customers from his premises again after raising the funds to overturn the forfeiture notice through a Just Giving Fundraiser he set up. Edward has spent the last two months moving back in and revamping the restaurant with new artwork.
After holding pop-ups at different businesses over the summer, Edward said it was great to be back in his restaurant again.
"It is amazing to be back," he said.
"There is nothing like the feeling of opening the doors again for the first time.
"Even before I was cooking the burgers again people were sticking their heads in, with all the locals saying how happy they were to have me back. It has just been incredible.
"The response has been heartwarming. There has been a lot going on over the past couple of months and for people to show their appreciation means a lot to me and really gives me a purpose to keep cooking these burgers for people because everyone clearly loves them.
"It is nice to get established again as an eat-in restaurant."
Although the business is back open again, Edward said the dispute over the rent increase of the lease renewal is going through the courts with a hearing due to take place in December. Landlords, Ikonic Properties Ltd, declined to comment.
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