A Chinese takeaway in Exeter has closed its doors for good.
The owners of Homewok shared a notice to customers online saying the shop is “closed down forever”.
A notice has also been shared in the restaurant window saying the business has “closed down”. Homewok opened in 2021 on Fore Street in Exeter City Centre.
A message on the restaurant’s website says: “Dear customer the shop is closed down forever, sorry about that . Hope everyone have a great time.”
One review on the takeaway website said: “Amazing Very quick delivery Always freshly cooked hot food The standards here are very good.”
“Ordered sweet and sour chicken and prawn balls very nice,” another person said. “Ordered mixed platter and got two lots of seaweed and spring rolls no prawn toasts or spare ribs which are my favourite quick collection from order date.”
A third reviewer added: “This has been our go to for a long time and has always been good Unfortunately the last 2 times have been late The last order was 45 minutes late and the food was over cooked The pork chicken and prawns were dry and inedible Very disappointed Won t be ordering again.”
The restaurant is one of several businesses in Exeter which have closed in recent months, including Witches Brew in Cowick street which closed back in April.
The homebrew shop told DevonLive they’d faced an “unusually quiet” six months which ended the business. Owner Katie Kendall says turnover has fallen dramatically and the shop, known for many years as Cowick Cookware and Homebrew, is no longer financially viable.
“It has just become too quiet,” she said. “Some days we are not seeing anybody and some days when we do the business is only taken £20. We simply can’t carry on.”
Less than 12 months ago business was booming, even having its best summer ever. But by December, things had taken a turn for the worse. “The only thing we could could blame was the weather,” Katie added. “We had two months of storms and we blamed that for people staying away. Then there were the roadworks at Buddle Lane and the fact that I don’t think people have much money.
“A lot of the products we sell, while not luxuries, are hobby items. We have a massive customer base but they don’t come every day, some come once a year. If they choose not to come because they need to spend on something else then we really miss them.”
Craft beer bottle shop Hops + Crafts shut up shop in May, saying there “simply not enough business” to keep running, while Ben’s Farm Shop closed in January.
Ben said they took the “difficult decision” to close the Exeter branch of the farm shop, which also has stores in Staverton, Yealmpton and Totnes. “We truly gave this location our best shot, and Magdalen Road has been welcoming to us from day one,” he said in a customer notice.
“We’re grateful to everyone who has supported us and made this shop feel part of the local community.”