Oxford restaurant which closed expected to reopen soon

Last week Naz Choudhury of Temple Lounge blamed the LTN bollards blocking off side streets in east Oxford to traffic as a major cause of the Asian restaurant's closure.

Now the restaurant is to reopen under new management.

READ AGAIN: Asian restaurant closes and owner blames LTNs

LTN bollards were introduced in the area by the county council last year to prevent drivers using certain streets including between Iffley Road and Cowley Road.

Some residents have welcomed them and have attempted to protect the bollards, but vandals have repeatedly ripped them out, forcing the council to pay to replace them.

Mr Choudhury has been in charge of Temple Lounge in Temple Street, which dates back to about 2010, when the Temple Bar pub was turned into a cafe and restaurant serving Halal Lebanese grill cuisine and Indian food.

He said earlier: "Just to bring to your attention that Temple Lounge on Temple Street, next to Nandos on Cowley Road has closed permanently. 

"The business was successful for many years, having high profile guests many with security protocol from their respected embassies. 

"The council's decision to put these bollards up along Cowley Road was the main reason, people dont want to travel here anymore.

"After Covid the council could not have done anything worse than what they have done to the Cowley Road area. They should be ashamed of themselves."

Now Mr Choudhury says Temple Lounge is to reopen as a new business called Mint Lounge.

He told the Oxford Mail: "A new group are renting the site and making the unit into Mint Lounge now. We are the landlords of building, we are not operating the site.

READ AGAIN: Atomic Burger may have closed for good 

"I think Cowley Road has been detrimentally affected by the road closures - a one way system would have been much better, so that people would not have to drive all the way up to turn around.

"I believe its going to be a middle eastern grill restaurant. It should be ready in next few weeks."

Atomic Burger restaurant in Cowley Road has also closed.

Chairs and tables and other items have been removed from the restaurant and there is no longer a sign outside saying when it will next be open.

The Atomic Burger restaurant in Bristol is listed on google as being 'permanently closed'.

In November, restaurateur Clinton Pugh, father of film star Florence Pugh, put up a giant poster to criticise the LTNs.

READ AGAIN: Oxford curry house shuts down

Mr Pugh, who owns Café Coco, Kazbar and Café Tarifa in Cowley Road,  unveiled the anti-LTN billboard on the side of Café Coco.

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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF