Damn. Another one bites the dust.
I walked past the locked doors of Horticulture in Newcastle yesterday and felt this weird pang of nostalgia. The place where I'd spent countless Friday nights downing those ridiculous espresso martinis (they had like 30 varieties) is now just... empty. The sister venues in Whitley Bay and El Guapo next door have gone dark too, leaving a pretty significant hole in Newcastle's independent dining scene.
When "challenging circumstances" actually means "we're completely screwed"
The owners initially tried to soften the blow with that classic hospitality euphemism about "deciding next steps for the future" - which anyone who's worked in the industry knows is code for "we're completely screwed but trying to figure out how to tell everyone."
But now they've dropped the PR speak and confirmed what we all suspected. All three spots are permanently closed.
In what had to be a gut-wrenching statement to write, they admitted: "It's with deep regret and teary eyes we have to confirm the rumours are true, we have closed our doors on Market Lane."
I met the owner back in 2019 at a food festival. Nice guy. Passionate as hell about what he was building. He described Horticulture as a "passion project" they started almost six years ago "in an empty shell of a venue down the back alley called Market Lane."
Cursed by COVID (like everyone else)
Talk about terrible timing. Horticulture opened just five months before COVID hit. Remember those apocalyptic early pandemic days? God. They had to furlough every single employee.
Against teh odds, they managed a "great return" in 2021 with what they described as "tons of local support." That year they even snagged a nomination at the Top 50 Restaurant Awards.
But something went sideways after that. The owners mentioned "a number of challenging circumstances beyond our control" that forced them to take "drastic and painful steps" to shut everything down.
What the hell happened?
Reading between the lines, I'm guessing crushing operational costs finally caught up with them. My cousin manages a similar-sized place in Durham, and she told me last week that her food costs have gone up 38% since 2021. Thirty-eight percent! Add in energy bills, rent increases, and staff wages, and the math just doesn't work anymore.
The owners didn't mince words about how they're feeling: "To say we're devastated is an understatement, almost six years on Market Lane, over two years in Pepo/El Guapo and a further two years renovating the coast, it's a bitter pill frustratingly we must swallow."
What we're losing (and it's a lot)
If you never made it to Horticulture, you missed out. The Newcastle spot had this gorgeous outdoor terrace that was absolute gold on the rare sunny days we get up north. Their brunch was legendary - they were doing fancy bottomless brunches before every chain in Britain jumped on that bandwagon.
El Guapo claimed to have the "world's largest margarita menu" (though I never actually counted), and Horticulture boasted the most extensive espresso martini selection globally. I once challenged my brother to try five different ones in one night. Terrible idea. He was still vibrating the next morning.
The place also had a knack for attracting celebrities. I once awkwardly spilled my drink next to Si King from The Hairy Bikers. His response: just a good-natured laugh and an offer to buy me another. Class act.
The gut-punch goodbyes
The comments under their closing announcement are heartbreaking.
One regular wrote: "Genuinely devastated. So many unreal memories here.. mine and Rys first date.. his 30th surprise party.. NYE 2023.. my fave bar in town!"
That's what hurts most about these closures. It's not just businesses going under - it's places where people's lives happened. First dates. Birthdays. Celebrations. All those memories now attached to empty buildings.
I spent £75 there last month celebrating my promotion. If I'd known it was my last visit, I would've ordered that fancy bottle of red the server recommended instead of my usual house glass.
Another one follows
Horticulture isn't alone in its struggles. Browns (you know, that slightly fancy chain your parents love) just announced they're closing their original location in Brighton after 50+ years. The hospitality bloodbath continues...
I'll miss that stupid neon sign they had at Horticulture - "Catch a dream and nurture it." Feels a bit cruel now, doesn't it?
Pour one out for another independent gone. Team Horti, wherever you land next, I'll be first in line.
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