Popular Manchester restaurant issues statement on future after Birmingham closure

A much-loved street food restaurant has published an update following the closure of one of its sites. This morning the founders of Bundobust, an Indian food concept specializing in vegetarian food and craft beer, confirmed that they will be closing their Birmingham site this weekend.

Bundobust opened in a Grade II listed building in Bennetts Hill in June last year, but in a social media post its founders explained that “the steady trade needed to stay open just wasn’t there for us “. They described it as an announcement they had been dreading, but confirmed that their other four sites would not be affected.

The Birmingham restaurant was the fifth branch of the company, which first established the concept in Leeds before expanding to Manchester and Leeds. Manchester is home to two locations, including its underground venue in Piccadilly Gardens and the in-house restaurant and brewery on Oxford Road – both of which will remain open.

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Bundobust was founded a little over ten years ago by friends Mayur Patel and Marko Husak. The restaurant is famous for its Gujarati street food, served in compostable paper containers and plates, and for its selection of craft beers, including its own and collaborations with breweries.

The first Manchester site opened in 2016, while the second, a brewery housed in an old car park in the Grade II-listed St James building, was set to open in 2021 after being delayed by the pandemic.

Bosses have confirmed that its teams in Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool are “safe” and “unaffected” by the closure of their Birmingham site and that a third of the Birmingham restaurant team will be moved to their other restaurants.

The full statement posted on Bundobust’s Instagram account this morning read: “This is an announcement we’ve been dreading, but after much painful deliberation we’ve made the decision to close Bundobust Birmingham from this Sunday (July 14).

“Birmingham was the furthest from home we’d ever ventured, but doing gigs in places like Digbeth, Moseley, the Jewelery Quarter and King’s Heath we recognized parallels in the atmosphere, community and spirit of the pockets of cities where we were already operating. which made Birmingham feel like a home away from home.

“Unfortunately, despite the support and enthusiasm of a great community, the steady trade needed to stay open just wasn’t there for us in our little part of downtown.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly – it is gut-wrenching, humbling and there will be lessons to be learned from it in due course, but first and foremost our priority is to support the Birmingham team (we are -were happy to keep at least a third of them and relocate them to other Bundos!), as well as reassure teams in Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool that their jobs are safe and unaffected.”

He continued: “Finally, we want to thank everyone from the passionate kitchen and front of house team who made the food, venue and atmosphere feel like no other Bundo, to the friends we’ve made in Birmingham for the way they supported and embraced us and of course the customers.”

The post prompted a flurry of comments, with many showing their support for the small group of restaurants. One person wrote: “So sorry to hear this! Lots of love to all and we’ll make sure we come to see you up north.”

Another added: “Sorry to see you guys go. Every time I went in the food, beer, atmosphere and service were all superb! Too bad it didn’t work.”