anticipate laying off staff or having to close for renovations.

Chit Chat, located at the top of Queen Street, made its mark on the restaurant scene late last year, boasting a fresh menu and an open kitchen concept.

Because of customer feedback, however, owner Marico Thomas has decided to take the establishment to full table service, replete with waiters and bus persons.

"We have received an incredible amount of responses to our comment cards and what we have found is many customers want to be served at their tables,'' Mr.

Thomas said in a statement last night.

Patrons will still be able to watch as chefs prepare their meals in an open kitchen, but they will also be able to relax at a table, he said.

Renovations are planned to enlarge the back kitchen, adding a larger char broiler, flat griddle, heat lamps, and a four-to-six burner range with oven.

Mr. Thomas confirmed that the change in style was behind the recently publised departure of his Canadian management team: "The difference (with the management team) lay in the executive's decision to alter the original concept,'' he said.

But in late December outgoing restaurant manager Shabnam Weber told The Royal Gazette she was resigning, claiming a raise just awarded her had been revoked.

To make matters worse, she then learned staff working in positions below hers were being paid more.

She made no mention of the changes to come. Her husband, director of operations Frank Weber, resigned after being slammed by a series of accusations stemming from not meeting sales targets.

The Webers charged the restaurant had enormous overhead and costs incurred during construction ran way over budget. It also opened at the end of the tourist season, which was one reason it was not meeting its sales targets.