Award-winning barbecue restaurant Hang Fire Southern Kitchen is closing permanently, with ‘unbelievable sadness,’ say its owners.
The Barry-based venue, owned by Samantha Evans and Shauna Guinn, was fully booked from the off, in 2016, taking more than 1,300 bookings in their first 24 hours of trading.
But the doors to the popular spot are now closing due to staff shortages in Wales. It’s one of many in the hospitality industry to feel the impact of shortages and you can read more about the issue here.
Owner Shauna said on Wednesday: “We believe the pandemic has had a profound and damaging effect on the hospitality sector in general. Many workers in this industry no longer feel that restaurant life is for them.
“We have recruited and lost more staff in the last five months than in the last six years – with most seeking employment in different industries altogether and wanting weekends and evenings off to spend with their families. This, for us, is a clear sign of the times that recruitment will continue to be a challenge and a huge drain on our already depleted resources.”
Shauna explained that running a BBQ restaurant isn’t like running a regular restaurant as it takes around six months to train someone in the skill of barbecue and multiple chefs are needed, too.
Shauna added: “Working with fresh produce and all the Southern cooking techniques takes Sam time to teach. The learning curve is steep and requires dedication from the chefs. Ultimately the staffing crisis is a battle we can’t win as a small independent restaurant with limited resources despite our very best efforts. We have always been proud to have incredible staff retention rates and it’s tragic to see our restaurant close under these circumstances”
Sam & Shauna opened Hang Fire Southern Kitchen in 2016
(Image: Richard Williams)
Samantha Evans, co-owner also added: “It’s with unbelievable sadness that we are forced to close the doors. There are factors well beyond our control that have led to this difficult decision. Shauna and I have been working around 80-90hrs each a week to run the business. It’s simply not sustainable from a physical or mental health point of view, and with zero candidates of quality coming forward over the past few months, we have had to make this tough decision to close.”
The spot also shared news of the closure on Instagram, prompting dozens of comments from shocked and saddened fans.
The team at Hang Fire have won such plaudits such as The Observer Food Monthly Best Restaurant, Slow Food Wales Best Restaurant and GBEA Entrepreneurs of the Year awards, all a testament to their quality and passion for what they do.
They have built a dedicated customer following since they started pop-ups in Cardiff in 2013.
Shauna added “The legacy of the first Hang Fire restaurant will live on in the numerous National Awards we’ve won – and more importantly, in our hearts. It’s been one of the most rewarding and challenging projects we’ve ever undertaken, and truly, it’s been nothing without our staff – and we’ve always had an incredible team. We’ll be leaving on a high note, without ever compromising the quality and service that we’re so famous for.”
Shauna said their focus for the near future was now on supporting the existing staff team, communicating with their customers and wrapping up the restaurant.
“For now, we still have a mammoth task in hand in terms of closing down the restaurant and that’s where we need to pull focus for now. We’d like to say a huge thank you to all the amazing customers that have supported us so enthusiastically over the years and we have made so many amazing friends through the restaurant.
Hang Fire will likely rise like a phoenix in some other guise – but for now we’re shutting off the smokers and saying goodbye to the Southern Kitchen. It’s been a wild, and at times, white-knuckle ride, but one we’ve loved with all our hearts, but for now this story ends here.”
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When asked what’s next for the dynamic duo, Samantha said: “We are naturally positive and optimistic people and believe in always pushing forward. We have so many plans in the works that have all been on hold this year. We have plenty of exciting projects coming up; We’re launching our own line of alcoholic drinks, starting with our own Moonshine, I have at least two new cookbooks to finish, we’re planning our BBQ masterclasses and Shauna is halfway through making her first documentary series focussing on incredible women.
“We have had to turn down so many TV opportunities this year, so it would be nice to have the time to say yes to more projects in the future“
Hang Fire Southern Kitchen is now permanently closed as of August 25.
Earlier in the summer, Shauna spoke out about the recruitment crisis Hang Fire and many more in the hospitality industry were facing.
Talking about the ‘chronic and persistent staffing issues coming out of the pandemic, she said: “It’s so difficult and exhausting for us to train people in the context of a fully booked restaurant. Sam has been doing 120 hours in the kitchen since April, so she’s absolutely burdened and frazzled and, and I think the decision that we made is a really, really tough decision.” Read more on what Shauna said at that point, here.
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