Fundraiser launched to save Sheffield restaurant forced to close just a month after opening

Macpot, located on the upper floor of Orchard Square in Sheffield city centre, closed its doors on March 20 along with the rest of the hospitality industry in the UK following Government social distancing instructions.

However, due to the fact it is so new, Macpot is not eligible for the furlough scheme provided to help pay staff wages for those who work for businesses that cannot operate during lockdown.

And Macpot’s owners – sisters Emily and Hatty Webster – are also unable to get help from the Small Business Grant Fund, as the rateable value for their building value is based on that of the whole building, rather than just the floor they pay to use.

This means the Government has ruled them to be over the limit, even though the value of the space they use falls below the maximum.

In order to keep the business going, and to pay staff who are unable to work, Emily and Hatty have appealed to customers at the restaurant to help them survive and pay the bills while they cannot open.

The said: “We reluctantly closed our doors on the March 20 and have spent the last six weeks battling with HMRC and the Valuations Office to try and access the support Rishi Sunak promised wouldn’t leave anybody behind.

“But we have been rejected at every turn. We can’t furlough anyone on our team and we aren’t eligible for a business grant. Without any government funding, we’re facing unpayable bills and months of empty paydays.

“Like so many businesses we’ve been stopped in our fledgling tracks by the Covid-19 pandemic. It took us a long time to find a location and to set up Macpot - we’ve both taken on substantial loans, made personal sacrifices, and taken major career moves.

“Our team also took personal risks to join what we all hoped was going to be a thriving young startup.

“The love we received in our first three weeks was fantastic and we really hope you want to see us reopen with an even bigger bang as much as we do. Think of the terrace in this weather!”

While they are unable to open in Orchard Square, Macpot has been operating a delivery service where people can order food to be made that they can then bake at home.

You can do this by contacting Macpot’s Instagram and Facebook accounts @MacpotKitchen.

If the fundraiser is successful, they plan to open as a takeaway as they will be able to pay the rent on their kitchen and serve food via delivery apps.

You can donate to the fundraiser here.

Anybody who donates £25 or over will be entered into a raffle where they can win prizes as a thank you for their support.