Lunya is closing its Manchester restaurant for good after five years in the city

Lunya is to close its Manchester branch after the restrictions are lifted due to COVID-19. 

Lunya Manchester is one of three Lunya sites in the North West, and the owners have stated that: “the impact of COVID-19 has been profound on our business and we cannot survive the future with three restaurant sites.”

To try and remain open, Lunya discussed with landlords, lenders and government agencies to secure additional funding and support but have been unsuccessful in any of these.

Lunya states: “In the close to five years that we have been open, Lunya has been taken to heart by Mancunians, supporting us every step of the way.

“Our highlights being awarded the MEN City Life restaurant of the Year in our first year of opening and being listed in the Good Food Guide for every year we have been open. We have been successful on so many levels and have loved every minute of it.”

The statement from the owners also explains that Brexit has had a hugely negative impact on their business, stating: “The last two years since the Brexit referendum have presented additional challenges for everyone in the hospitality industry, and especially us as a hugely import-focused business.

“With declining consumer confidence, a huge drop in the Euro exchange rate and large increases in business rates, general costs and overheads, this has meant significant cost pressures and taken together with the devastating impact of the closure from the Coronavirus, it has made Lunya Manchester financially untenable, and our current site too expensive to operate from for as long as we can see.”

The two Liverpool sites will remain open with the statement explaining that ‘we think we can manage with two sites opening with partial covers, whenever the government allows us to’.

Back in March, Lunya shared an impassioned tweet to the Prime Minister about the action from the government needed for businesses. It was seen by 2 million people.

The Manchester staff remain furloughed and Lunya promises to maintain this for as long as possible, envisaging this to finish at the end of August. 

They have started a statutory redundancy consultation and have urged any other restaurants looking for chefs, waiters, retail staff, bar staff and managers to look to their huge talent in their team.

The statement finishes with: We have wonderful customers and hope through our online, local deliveries and other events we will still enjoy their support and serve them – just in a different way. It will be more ‘hasta pronto’ rather than ‘adios’. Manchester hasn’t seen the last of us.