A popular Newcastle restaurant has alleged it has been “persecuted” by council bosses, after announcing its closure.
Customers of the Geisha Bar and Restaurant in Jesmond have been left devastated after it emerged on Thursday that the Sandyford Road venue was shutting its doors and relocating to Benton. In a Facebook post confirming the news, the pan-Asian restaurant said it was “impossible” to keep trading and took aim at Newcastle City Council with a string of accusations – claiming it had been “victimised, persecuted and bullied”.
Geisha has been the subject of multiple planning rows with the local authority since it launched, including being ordered to pull down its front porch and remove a painted mural. The local authority said on Friday that it was “disappointed” by the restaurant’s allegations and that many were made “without any evidence”.
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On its social media channel, Geisha posted on Thursday afternoon: “It is with a heavy heart and deep regret that we are forced to announce the closure of our original venue, Geisha Bar and Restaurant based in Jesmond, Newcastle. This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but one that we had no choice in due to a number of reasons which were making it impossible for us to maintain trading.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers who have travelled from both near and far to support our fantastic restaurant over the past two years, your loyalty and fantastic following on social media have been phenomenal and we truly appreciate it.”
In addition to its Geisha Italia restaurant on Front Street in Benton, Geisha Asia is now also due to open there next Wednesday, April 19. The restaurant claimed that it had been “the victim of a series of misdoings from Newcastle City Council” and had been “victimised, persecuted and bullied by the planners since opening our doors in 2020”.
Geisha was subject to enforcement action in summer 2021, when local authority chiefs ordered it to tear down a porch and other new structures at the front of the premises that had been erected without planning permission. Three separate planning applications at the venue have also been rejected since 2020 – including for LED signs and a mural.
The restaurant’s Facebook post added that the city council had “made it impossible for us to continue trading” and scuppered an expansion that it was claimed would create more than 100 jobs.
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “We are disappointed to read of the allegations that have been made, many of which are made without any evidence to support them. We have endeavoured to work proactively with the business owners to ensure they can operate successfully in accordance with the planning permission that they obtained.
“Formal enforcement action was taken in the summer of 2021 to remove unauthorised structures at the front of the premises. The business owners subsequently appealed to the Planning Inspectorate against the Enforcement Notice and their appeal was dismissed in February 2022. The owners have now complied with the requirements of the Enforcement Notice.
“We always aim to work constructively with all businesses in the city, but we also have a duty to ensure all premises operate within the confines of the planning system.”
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