"This is not the end:" Doncaster restaurant shuts down days after opening to "regroup"

Pan Asian restaurant Hoi Choi was officially due to open its doors last night – but had been serving customers from Monday to Wednesday in what it called a “soft launch.”

However, after being stung by customer criticisms including slow service, bosses have said that the venue will close for ‘a short period of time’ to ‘adjust’ and be ‘100% ready’ to return.

In a statement, posted on the East Laith Gate restaurant’s social media, a spokesperson said: “We are suspending service for a short period of time.

“What a past few days we have had in Hoi Choi.

“We would sincerely like to thank all guests from Monday to Wednesday for dining with us and giving us their honest feedback.

"The positive reviews have meant the world to us. The rebookings already, have taken us by grateful surprise.

“We have listened to all comments both positive and constructive and we have taken the decision to take a little time to regroup, adjust and make sure that we are 100% ready to give Doncaster what it needs each and every day with measured consistency and care.

“This is not the end, our guests have consistently said Doncaster needs us, and we hear you. We are coming back, better than before. We look forward to seeing you soon.”

In a stinging review, one diner said: “It took 20 minutes to be asked for our drinks order, and our drinks didn’t arrive until 9pm. Yes really, an hour later.

“The wait times were like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. One hour for drinks, 90 mins for our first starter to arrive.

“Customers all over were complaining, the staff were bombarded with it actually.

“Not only was the wait on food 90 minutes, but food and drinks were repeatedly being taken to the wrong tables.

“The atmosphere was absolutely hectic. It wasn’t a pleasure to be around. The anxiety and bad feeling in the air was off the scale. Customers were leaving left right and centre and eventually, they were being allowed to leave without paying for their drinks etc due to how bad it was.”

"It got to the point where customers were accepting food to their table even when they knew it wasn’t theirs just so they could have some food.”

The new restaurant has replaced Rancheros, which lasted less than a year before closing down.

It closed its doors in April, blaming spiralling costs on its closure.

The venue – known to generations of diners as Shabir’s and previously Le Bistro – told customers: “The Team at Rancheros Doncaster have fought valiantly to stay open. Our guests have been the best we could have hoped for. Unfortunately, we have been beaten by the rising running costs and we are having to admit defeat.

"This decision has not been made without a lot of tears and soul searching. We tried adaptations, but nothing has worked for us.”