A steak and seafood restaurant has suddenly closed just a year after it opened. WalesOnline understands that shocked staff were told with just a few days notice that Brothers Steak & Seafood Restaurant in Pontyclun would not be reopening on January 2 as planned.
The restaurant, owned by twins Craig and Grant Hughes has confirmed that it has been forced to temporarily close due to “performance challenges”.
In a statement shared on their Instagram page Brothers said the business would re-open in the future with a “fresh and entirely new offering”.
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But staff have contacted WalesOnline with concerns over loss of earnings during the time period when the restaurant is closed. An email seen by us seemingly confirmed to staff they would not be paid during the period the restaurant is closed.
The restaurant is yet to address those claims after being contacted by WalesOnline. However, in a statement released on Friday Brothers did confirm all gift vouchers bought by customers would be honoured.
Brothers Steak and Seafood restaurant in Pontyclun opened in 2023 in a building which once housed a famous pub -Credit:WalesOnline/Rob Browne
They said: “To our valued customers and the winder community. After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close Brothers Restaurant as part of a new chapter for our business.
“While recent performance challenges have led us to this point, we are excited to announce that we will soon be re-opening with a fresh and entirely new offering. This exciting transformation with a slight refurbishment and commencement of phase 2, and we can’t wait to share more details with you in the near future.
“We understand that many of you have questions, particularly regarding vouchers and gift vouchers. All vouchers will be honoured and will remain valid when we reopen in our new guise. If you would prefer not to wait, we will provide a full refund.”
It continued: “We are grateful for your continued support during this transition, and we look forward to welcoming you back to experience our exciting new direction. Thank you for your understanding, and stay tuned for updates as we prepare to unveil what’s next for Brothers Restaurant.”
Brothers Steak & Seafood opened on December 17, 2023 in the former Bute pub building that had stood empty in the heart of Pontyclun for a number of years.
The restaurant marketed itself as an eatery of ‘fine dining and culinary innovation’ and came with a comfortable and classy interior.