Award-winning Isle of Wight restaurant the Little Gloster to close

The Little Gloster restaurant with rooms on the Isle of Wight will close at the end of September, after the Covid-19 pandemic has left it “facing the equivalent of three winters in a row”.

The restaurant in Gurnard, on the northern shore of the island, was established 10 years ago by Ben and Holly Cooke and was named the UK’s best local restaurant by The Good Food Guide last year.

The Cookes will operate the restaurant’s three rooms until the end of September with a dining offering for guests, however the venue will not reopen to non-residents. During the lockdown Ben and Holly operated a meal delivery service, which has also stopped.

In a message the pair said: “Being one of many seasonal restaurant businesses on the island, facing the equivalent of three winters in a row, it is the right decision and we would like to thank our landlord for offering us the opportunity to leave our lease early.

“We have memories that we will hold forever and would like to thank everyone who has dined or stayed with us for their support and friendship over the years, especially our incredible team, many of which we hope to continue working with.”

The Cookes have said that the Little Gloster will return in a different guise at some point, writing: “We’re brimming with ideas and an opportunity that makes our hearts flutter and excites us could be just around the corner.”

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