Service, please!
Essex Life|July 2020
When the lockdown took hold, our restaurants and food retailers didn’t have a chance to pause for breath. Each of them has been impacted hugely, but there is hope for the future as innovation and imagination start to show a way forward to a new normality
Service, please!

JUSTIN CRACKNELL

The Limeberry Group

Justin Cracknell is a director of The Limeberry Group which includes The New London Restaurant in Chelmsford, a gin bar called the Bottle Bureau also in Chelmsford, The ship Inn at Burnham on Crouch and Limeberry events which would ordinarily host around 120 weddings each year.

‘After Boris Johnson’s announcement that the public should avoid bars and restaurants we were coming up to Mother’s Day, our busiest day of the year,’ says Justin.

‘All the bookings were already starting to drop off. So we decided to close and then the very next day they forced closure on us. It was the hardest week of my life. I remember I was close to tears. I had to go and see all the staff and sat down with them. My main concern was keeping the business going and keeping jobs for them.

‘The staff are so loyal and the whole team is like a small family. I was really concerned about them. I was worried about how they were going to pay their bills. Initially I was going to find a way to pay all their holiday in advance, but on the Friday they announced the furlough scheme. That was a massive weight off my shoulders, but even with that, it seemed like within a week I just saw the business crumble into nothing.’

Since that week, Justin has been working on the business single-handedly.

‘It’s just me doing some maintenance, there’s not even any emails. I’m looking at trying to plan to reopen but until we know when, I can’t even write the menus as we don’t know what produce will be available.’

This story is from the July 2020 edition of Essex Life.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 2020 edition of Essex Life.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ESSEX LIFEView All
The rise of maskne
Essex Life

The rise of maskne

With the term ‘maskne’ becoming an increasingly common search online and on social media, Krystal Prince explains what it is and how you can control mask-induced acne

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2020
The forgotten lady
Essex Life

The forgotten lady

Charlotte Christie shares the life story of Anne Knight, an Essex pioneer for the abolition of slavery and women’s suffrage who’s achievements have almost been air-brushed from history

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2020
Stride out in the Sampfords
Essex Life

Stride out in the Sampfords

This charming, circular winter walk takes you on a tour from the village of Great Sampford to its neighbour, Little Sampford, and back again

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2020
MUCH TO TALK ABOUT
Essex Life

MUCH TO TALK ABOUT

As a presenter on Sky Music and the host of two TV talk shows of her own on Gidea Park-based Sky channel Spotlight TV, Hayley Palmer is never short of words. Nicky Adams asks her how she came to be in front of the camera

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2020
LIFE and SOUL
Essex Life

LIFE and SOUL

Radio 1 broadcaster and producer Charlie Hedges began her career as Britain’s youngest breakfast show host and is now one of the world’s most successful female DJs. Denise Marshall caught up with the Essex-based queen of the air waves

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2020
Lest we forget
Essex Life

Lest we forget

Remembrance Sunday will have a special poignance this month as 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Stephen Roberts profiles how much the county of Essex contributed to the war effort and how much it cost

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2020
Lakeside Magic
Essex Life

Lakeside Magic

The Lake House, nestled in Mill End on the outskirts of the village of Bradwell on Sea, has been owned by the same family for 60 years and was once a thriving four-buoy water-ski lake.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2020
Keep on running
Essex Life

Keep on running

BBC presenter and director David Whiteley shares his insightful view on stories from across the county of Essex

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2020
Cheers!
Essex Life

Cheers!

Starting to get that festive vibe? Why not plan ahead by selecting not only the drinks you want to serve this Christmas, but also ticking off a few presents too?

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2020
A doggy day out on… Saffron Walden
Essex Life

A doggy day out on… Saffron Walden

Join Ernie, the county’s most famous Westie, as he steps back in time on a trip to this medieval market town

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2020