Popular Wellington eatery announces closure after nine years
Wednesday, 4 September 2024
Wellington eatery Egmont Street Deli & Diner will close in September.
The current economic climate had brought “significant challenges” for the business.
In June, owner Simon Pepping said things were the worst they had been since he began in the industry.
Wellington eatery Egmont Street Deli & Diner has announced it’s closing for good after nine years operating in the capital.
The deli and diner, recently re-branded from Egmont St Eatery, made the announcement in a social media post, saying September will be their last month of trade.
In the post, they said the current economic climate had brought significant challenges and changes, forcing people to adapt in the process, but thanked their customers for their support.
“We’re proud to have experienced many moments of joy, achievement, growth, resilience, tough decisions and change and we’re deeply grateful for the supportive customers and community we’ve had the pleasure of serving throughout our time here.”
The post continued, “we extend our sincere gratitude to all of our suppliers and service providers, whom without your partnership and loyalty, we would never have made it this far.”
They also thanked their staff, past and present, for their “warmth, dedication, and exceptional service”, describing them as being the heart of Egmont St.
In June, owner Simon Pepping told The Post it was the toughest it had been in his 30 years in the industry.
“My mental health is shattered. In the past I’m like, no, we’ll be right, and we’ve always bounced back. We’ve always done well. But I have struggled to be optimistic about business over the last couple of years.
“There was a period there where the restaurant was full noise. Catering was really busy. And I had seven bakers working overnight. That stuff's gone. I don’t have any bakers any more,” Pepping said.
He added that things never returned to pre-Covid levels and that fewer people were dining out.
“We ripped the business apart as soon as we went into lockdown. We made some massive changes then, thinking things would just go back to where they were, but they’ve never gone back.”
Restaurant Association figures showed first-quarter trading in Wellington was down 5.53% compared to 2023, with an additional 11.84% decline when comparing the first quarter of 2024 to the fourth quarter of 2023.
Egmont St is encouraging people to continue to support local eateries and restaurants, saying they need support “now more than ever”.