A popular Rotherham restaurant that closed suddenly in May has rebooted its social media and online presence, hinting that a new future is about to kick off at the venue.
Rothbiz reported that "heartbroken" operators at The Big Smoke were closing the restaurant on the edge of Rotherham town centre in the face of rising costs.
Now The Big Smoke Facebook page has been rebranded as The Press Box - a new sports bar in Rotherham that is set to open in August.
The move makes sense given the family operators were also involved in the Sport Box in Rotherham town centre that has recently changed hands again.
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A new website explains: "Rotherham just got its game-changer.
"Fourteen screens showing multiple sports at once, so you’ll never miss the action. Proper sports bar atmosphere with sports bar food, cold beer, and cocktails that will keep you coming back.
"But we’ve gone further than just screens and good grub. Golf simulator featuring world-class courses for when you want to test your swing. Two 22-foot shuffleboards perfect for group competitions. Three traditional dart boards plus one interactive lane. A fussball table. Pool tables for serious matches and friendly rivalries. The Press Box has everything you need for mate dates and competitive sessions that settle debates once and for all."
The venue promises to be the destination for big sporting events, from "Masters tournaments with prize competitions to Super Bowl parties with corn dogs."
With a 4,600 sq ft ground floor, The Big Smoke opened during COVID in 2020 "dedicated to the majesty of meats," taking on the former Florence Nightingale pub at Moorgate, which was previously turned into a restaurant and operated as Modern China.
A post regarding the closure, which was with immediate effect, said: "Due to rising costs and mounting financial pressures, we’ve found ourselves in an impossible position.
"Since April 1st, our overheads and supplier costs have soared, driven by changes brought in by a government that feels completely out of touch with the realities of small, independent businesses like ours. We’ve done everything we can, but the numbers just don’t add up anymore."
The Press Box Rotherham website
Images: Press Box / Google Maps
Rothbiz reported that "heartbroken" operators at The Big Smoke were closing the restaurant on the edge of Rotherham town centre in the face of rising costs.
Now The Big Smoke Facebook page has been rebranded as The Press Box - a new sports bar in Rotherham that is set to open in August.
The move makes sense given the family operators were also involved in the Sport Box in Rotherham town centre that has recently changed hands again.
Advertisement
A new website explains: "Rotherham just got its game-changer.
"Fourteen screens showing multiple sports at once, so you’ll never miss the action. Proper sports bar atmosphere with sports bar food, cold beer, and cocktails that will keep you coming back.
"But we’ve gone further than just screens and good grub. Golf simulator featuring world-class courses for when you want to test your swing. Two 22-foot shuffleboards perfect for group competitions. Three traditional dart boards plus one interactive lane. A fussball table. Pool tables for serious matches and friendly rivalries. The Press Box has everything you need for mate dates and competitive sessions that settle debates once and for all."
The venue promises to be the destination for big sporting events, from "Masters tournaments with prize competitions to Super Bowl parties with corn dogs."
A post regarding the closure, which was with immediate effect, said: "Due to rising costs and mounting financial pressures, we’ve found ourselves in an impossible position.
"Since April 1st, our overheads and supplier costs have soared, driven by changes brought in by a government that feels completely out of touch with the realities of small, independent businesses like ours. We’ve done everything we can, but the numbers just don’t add up anymore."
The Press Box Rotherham website
Images: Press Box / Google Maps
If this is being run by the same family, have they now found a way to overcome the increasing overhead and supplier costs that they previously blamed on the government for the demise of their last business?
ReplyDeleteI feel for everyone that lost their jobs, the fact the same owner is still behind the scenes after letting staff go without being able to pay for their bills because of liquidation.. all sounds like a scandal to me
ReplyDeleteWhen The Big Smoke closed their social media comment was blaming Government increases from 1st April making their business unviable, yet here we are less than 3mths later and they're reopening in a fully refurbished venue. Could this money have been better spent keeping those who lost their job employed or paying the bills from the liquidation?
ReplyDeleteWhat's problem,it's a different sort of business,it's the real world,things close and set up again,with different business goals .I've had it happen to me several times,just move on and get another job, there's plenty around!
ReplyDeleteIf you can't see a problem, I wouldn't like the misfortune of working for you.
DeleteWhat kind of jobs would they be?
DeleteNo doubt he will have a plausible explanation.
ReplyDeleteAnd no doubt he will share it very soon.
ReplyDeleteDISCUSTIN!
ReplyDeleteUtterly disgusting ! They closed the venue citing “ rising costs”, failed to pay their suppliers thousands of pounds, failed to pay their staff wages due, and then the money that should’ve been paid to staff and suppliers is spent revamping / rebranding. It’s not the first time the owners have done this.
ReplyDelete