Hank’s Dirty employees save Ipswich restaurant following group collapse
Shaun Warner and Elora Timms announced on Instagram that they had taken on Hank’s Dirty in Ipswich having both worked at the restaurant for more than four years.
It comes after the wider Hank’s Dirty estate, which included sites in Felixstowe, Colchester, Cambridge and Norwich, was forced to cease trading last week after a planned cash injection fell through.
Warner and Timms praised founders Geoffrey Bligh and Philip Rivers, who launched the business back in 2019, and said they hoped to keep the Hank's Dirty brand alive in the years to come.
“After both of us working for Hank’s for the last four-plus years, we aren't ready to watch it leave,” they said.
“It has been a pleasure working for Geoff and Phil for the last few years and we have learnt a lot.
“We have also worked with some great people who have helped build Hank’s reputation over the years and we hope to keep that going!”
A statement posted by Bligh and Rivers last week revealed that the group had ceased trading after a new business investment failed to materialise.
“Hank's was heading into a successful summer season with lots of plans on the go,” they said at the time.
“A refurb in Colchester, live music in Ipswich, new technology in the business and even franchising.
“These exciting changes were funded by a new business investment that was to be brought into the business in early May.
“Unfortunately, after a small delay, the company facilitating this investment delayed the payment for three months at the very last moment.
“The shock of this decision had a huge impact on the business and a significant amount of money had already been spent on these new projects.
“We've spent the past few days doing everything we could to try and resolve the situation, but it has left the business in a bankrupt situation.”
The group’s Cambridge restaurant will also continue to operate having been taken over by Snug Bars, which originally partnered with Hank’s Dirty for the opening.
