A Peckham tapas restaurant has announced its closure due to financial strains after 18 months in business.

The Tapas Room opened on May 24, 2021, during the pandemic as the fifth addition in a small chain of tapas restaurants across London.

However, after 18 months of business the restaurant announced its closure on social media on December 23.

The restaurant is due to close its doors for the last time tonight (December 30).

According to a Facebook post, the restaurant blamed the closure on financial factors, including a rise in utility costs, the economic cost of launching the business during the pandemic and the current cost-of-living crisis.

The post added that the decision will allow the four remaining restaurants in Brixton, Tooting, Battersea and Deptford to continue to grow.

The statement read: “Apologies for delivering some bad news at this time of year but we want our customers to know that, with great sadness, we are having to close our lovely Peckham restaurant.

“The reasons are familiar to many hospitality businesses, the weight of the utility bills and the combination of a pandemic and an economic crisis have proved to be overwhelming for a small business.

“The decision to close Peckham has been a hard one but this way we can let the other four venues flourish.”

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In the time the restaurant has been in business it received a 4.8 average rating on Google, with customers praising its selection of wines and croquets.

Regular customer Sean Ryan said: “I knew it would be a great edition to the area.

“Having eaten at Deptford many times I knew the food was going to be amazing.

“It’s sad to see yet another local business having to close because of the increased costs of everything. Peckham has lost a jewel of a restaurant.”

In a heartfelt post on Twitter, the restaurant added: “Undoubtedly our Peckham venue has produced some extraordinary moments, from the chefs to the managers, it has been a very special place.

"Launched during lockdown, it powered through but ultimately we have to say goodbye to SE15."