JoJo's restaurant aims to crowdfund £100,000 to avoid closure

The owners of long-running restaurant JoJo’s in Whitstable, Kent, have launched a crowdfunding campaign to save it from closure.

Nikki Billington and Paul Watson founded the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in their home in 2000 before moving to its current location by the sea in Tankerton in 2010.

However, their lease ends in July 2022 and the landlord wants to sell the site, which is earmarked for development. The JoJo’s team said the site has been offered to them at a “great price” and they have until 8 October to raise the funds.

Chef Tom Kerridge, Madness frontman Suggs and The Observer critic Jay Rayner are among those who have lent their support to the £100,000 fundraiser, which at the time of writing has raised just over £94,000.

Kerridge tweeted that it was “one of the greatest restaurants” while Rayner said: “I love @jojostankerton and they need help.”

JoJo’s owners have remortgaged their house, sold their car and sought help from the bank, but need the crowdfunding campaign to meet the final cost.

The Crowdfunder page states: “From humble beginnings in the front room of our home on the high street, we have thrown everything physically, financially and mentally into JoJo’s to be where it is today. This incredible building overlooking the sea has been our home for the last 10 years.

“But the lease has come to an end, and the building will be put up for sale, and for JoJo’s to survive we need to raise the funds to buy it.

“With the help of some of JoJo’s friends, including Tom Kerridge and Suggs, we have put together a 'Rewards' package so that you can buy into something tangible, but we also just hope there is enough love out there for JoJo’s that you’ll want to help us in whatever small way you can, even if it is just sending us good vibes that we might just pull this off.”

Rewards available to buy include vouchers for the restaurant, digital recipe videos of some of JoJo’s best-loved dishes, and a three-night stay in an apartment above the restaurant.

View the Crowdfund here.

Image credit: JoJo's restaurant