Save our Future

Casson’s Restaurant

Dear Friends and Customers,

Many of you will know us, Viv and Cass, who have run Casson’s Restaurant in Tangmere near Chichester since 2003.

We are one of the few truly independent restaurants left in the area and as such cannot call on the financial resources of the major restaurant chains.

In over 20 years we have striven to provide some of the most innovative food and best service in the area. This is borne out by our ratings on social media review sites such as TripAdvisor. In addition, we have been included in The Michelin Guide and are one of the ‘longest serving’ restaurants in this guide in West Sussex.

As you will not need reminding the whole of the hospitality industry suffered since the covid crisis. We continue to struggle with the rising costs of the business, energy, raw materials, staff costs and a VAT rate that is one of the highest in Europe. With very little sign that these costs are going down any time soon. This against the background of the cost-of-living crisis that is affecting all of us.

Notwithstanding all this, we are continuing to trade much to the delight of our customers!

In addition to this for the past two years we have been trying to get planning permission to develop the site for housing. Despite spending thousands of pounds on plans, consultants and surveys it appears that this will not be successful.

I am sure that many of you will question why with all the developments close to the A27 that have gone up over the past few years it has been decided not to approved this one. A ‘brownfield site’ with no flooding issues. We were unable to convince the council that the site was viable.

We have very little, if any, resources left.

Our bank are being less than helpful so we are looking for some help and support to get us through the next few months while we decide what the future holds for two 70-year-olds! It is going from bleak to slightly hopeful.

It is nothing like we expected our future would pan out.

We are asking humbly, and not without some embarrassment, for some help. Our target is £40,000. This we hope will get us through until the future becomes a little clearer.

We are working very hard to look at all the options for the site as we keep the business going.

To say that this has been and continues to be a stressful time would be an understatement! Our future seems to be in other people’s hands.

We are not giving up without a fight.

Many thanks for taking the time to read.

We do hope to see you sometime in the near future, for some of the best food in West Sussex.

Viv and Cass