The children often say that we talk about Taste Tibet as if it’s a massively failing business. It’s true that we have a habit of brooding at the dinner table over all the things that aren’t going tickety-boo. The business is doing fine. Sorry kids – we clearly don’t spend enough time celebrating the wins.
The truth is that we’re doing well because our risk is spread. We have the restaurant, a line of chilled take-home food, a festival food stall and a cookbook. We cater events and run cookery classes. We have writing gigs and host cooking demos.
Sometimes the BBC wheels me out to talk about the state of the industry, and I always say that these days you have to be all-singing, all-dancing. To survive you must be agile: ready to pivot and adapt at all times.
It’s tough out there, and come 1st April everything is about to get harder. Under the new budget, the hospitality sector is facing an increased annual tax bill of £3 billion. This will come from increased employer National Insurance Contributions and a huge reduction in rates relief for small hospitality businesses. No doubt about it, many places will be forced to cut jobs and raise prices. Some are going to close doors.
A few weeks back I wrote a gloomy post about the state of our industry, the world etc. Yeshi told me off when lots of people started coming into the restaurant with a look of grave concern. I said we should be grateful that so many of them reached out with their suggestions, got off the sofa and came and bought food. People care. Thank you.
Many of you told us that you’d still support us if our prices went up here and there. Thank you again. Here is a little advance warning that come April you will see some changes. We haven’t raised prices in well over a year now and so much has happened during this time. The tax changes taking effect in April are just part of the story. Rising costs in all areas of the business are another factor that cannot be ignored.
Before then, Yeshi and Nyima are going to Tibet again to visit their mum and dads. The restaurant will be open until Sunday evening 23rd March, and then closed until Wednesday 23rd April. You won’t see any price moves this week, so please come by, empty the freezers and enjoy all the momos.
Our opening hours are as follows:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday: 12-3 / 5-9.30pm
Sunday: 12-3 / 5-9pm
This week’s menu is up on the website – check it.
Our freezers are a little bare after last week’s announcement that the restaurant is due to close soon for a month, but we’ve refilled over the weekend and now have good stocks of momos, dal and many of your favourite curries. Come and have a forage. We also have plenty of sepen chilli oil and house pickle.
Finally, if you follow us on social media you may have seen that Taste Tibet is hosting an event at this year’s Hay Festival. If you’ve ever thought of visiting Hay, now is the moment! Sales for our tasting and demo only went live on Friday but are already over 50% sold, so book quick.
And if you want to see more of our musings/news and are in the market for TT discounts and freebies, just subscribe to our weekly Substack to receive all of this and more direct to your inbox.
Looking forward to seeing you this week before doors shut for the month. Thank you always and forever for the support.
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Saturday: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
Sunday: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9pm
☏ 01865 499318
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