Popular Solihull restaurant suddenly closes months after pricey re-fit as bosses say 'no choice'

The popular foodie spot has previously been hailed by diners as "amazing" - but has suddenly closed its doors for good with its owners saying they were left with "no choice"

Naomi DeSouza Senior reporter at BirminghamLive

05:18, 26 Sep 2023

The stylish restaurant had only recently had a complete re-fit(Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)

A popular Midlands restaurant has closed its doors for good, months after a hefty refurbishment. Esabella's has been a firm favourite on the foodie scene in Solihull for years- with customers hailing its cocktails, evening menu and roast dinners as "amazing."

The restaurant, on Warwick Road in Solihull town centre, even underwent a pricey refit in earlier this year, after coming under new ownership. The eatery, famed for its high-end food and "cutting edge" bar, opened with a swanky new interior and extended opening hours in February, marking a new start for the much-loved spot.

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But after some customers reporting turning up the restaurant to find a deserted venue, BirminghamLive paid a visit to the site to track down its owners. When we visited the site earlier this month, the inside of the restaurant was completely pulled apart, with urinals ripped out and left by the bar, and even glasses and plates of food discarded in the dining area.

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The inside of Esabella's looked like a deserted party frozen in time when we visited, a far cry from a once-bustling venue serving dishing out its European and Mediterranean cuisine. We spoke to Toby Sears, who ran Esabella's with a partner after taking it over in February.

Mr Sears told BirminghamLive that they had been forced to close their doors due to circumstances "out of their control."

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Esabella's Restaurant in Solihull which has suddenly closed down. The popular eatery on Warwick Road had only recently undergone a major refurbishment. Pictured: The empty restaurant on September 4(Image: Naomi de Souza / BirminghamLive)

He added that as bosses they "had no choice." Mr Sears said: "Firstly, we would like to apologise for the sudden nature of our closure. Due to circumstances outside of our control we were left with no choice but to take this action.

"Unfortunately since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent cost of living crisis, trade throughout the hospitality industry has been terribly affected, especially for small independent businesses such as ours.

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"We have had no choice but to put this business on pause, whilst we explore how we can move forward over the coming months. We would like to thank every person who has supported the venue since we opened.

Esabella's Restaurant in Solihull which has suddenly closed down. The popular eatery on Warwick Road had only recently undergone a major refurbishment. Pictured: The empty restaurant, with urinals pulled out and the bar left in disarray, on September 4(Image: Naomi de Souza / BirminghamLive)

"The memories we have made, the parties we have thrown and meals we have shared will remain fond in our minds forever."

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Esabella's was situated just off Mell Square, which has been the site of much change recently. Last week we reported how just a few doors down Anytime Fitness gym had closed its doors, with the nearest option offered to gym-goers in Yardley, a 20 minute drive away.

House of Fraser, an anchor store for Mell Square also closed its doors last month, much to the disappointment of shoppers. Despite the recent dismal news, there have some new openings in Mell Square, read more on those here.

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