A restaurant is to close its doors for the last time on New Year’s Eve as the Little Venice Group prepares to take over the property.

The team behind Tempest Bistro in St George, known for its French homestyle food, said it had no immediate plans to open elsewhere.

Mark Turner, the restaurant’s manager, had mixed emotions about the closure.

He said: “The past 18 months to two years have been brutal because of the pandemic. I’m not going to miss that, however, I have come to love the town, the people and the characters so that will make me a little sad.

“The people of the East End of the island have been supportive of us and all the restaurants in St George but St George brings its own set of challenges.”

The Little Venice Group announced earlier this year it had acquired Somers Wharf on Water Street, which houses businesses along 150 feet of waterfront on the edge of St George Harbour.

Mr Turner said: “In the long run, the takeover is good as they have the resources.

“Some of their plans will improve the infrastructure of Somers Wharf and the surrounding area.

“If we are looking to move the country forward we have to look at the big picture.”

Tempest was opened in 2014 by the same team that owns the Mad Hatters restaurant in Pembroke.

Mr Turner will continue his involvement with Mad Hatters and the three staff members at Tempest have found alternative jobs to start after the restaurant shuts.

The Somers Wharf site is part of an estate that is being wound up.

Other tenants include Davidrose Jewellery, the Vera P Card gift store, BruMae Caffe, the St George’s Crown newspaper, the Bermuda Police Service community station and Dragon’s Lair, an arts and crafts gallery.

The property was listed for sale by Rego Sotheby’s International Realty with an asking price of $1.65 million.

It includes 12,000 square feet of interior space and covers an area of 0.39 acres.

The Little Venice Group operates Aurora, Blu Bar & Grill, Café Lido, Fourways, Harbourfront, L’Oriental, La Trattoria, Little Venice, Mickey’s Beach Bistro, Seabreeze Lounge and Terrace, and Sul Verde, as well as Café 4 and L’Oriental Express.