In an impassioned post on social media, the pair described a “deep, constant feeling of nausea” on making the announcement that they had ceased trading.
“We are deeply saddened and with a deep, constant feeling of nausea in the pits of our stomach we post this to say we have closed the restaurant with immediate effect,” reads their post on Instagram.
“All creditors will be contacted in the coming weeks, all future reservations will be cancelled and hopefully contacted (we’re sorry we won’t be able to look after you) please be kind and patient should you need a response form (sic) anyone and please direct those queries to us and not our team.”
“On the note of our team… we have (had) an incredible group of people who were in our staff family and are now without work and awaiting redundancy just before Christmas, which again makes our stomachs churn, if we ever end up in a position where we could employ them, we would do so in a heartbeat, if anyone has anything or are looking for some really special individuals please get in touch with us and I can forward that on.”
The couple opened Appleton's in 2016 within an operational vineyard and winery near Padstow. They relocated the restaurant to the town of Fowey in south Cornwall in March 2020.
Before opening his own place, Andy was formerly head chef at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, a position he held for 9 years, and before that worked at Oliver’s flagship restaurant Fifteen London.
The restaurant served rustic, Italian dishes with a contemporary twist, and is described in the Michelin Guide as “the sort of place we’d all love to have on our doorstep”.
Their couple also expressed thanks to their customers that have supported the restaurant over the past eight years saying: “To all our customers (and so then, friends) that have dined with us and supported us over the years and enjoyed our hospitality or experienced what we do, to anyone that has celebrated something or simply smiled or laughed within our walls, thank you.”