A restaurateur has closed for the THIRD time in the same premises.

Tony Cole has shut the Bistro & Bar Below at 9 North Hill, Colchester, after disappointing December takings.

Mr Cole opened Number Nine in the same venue in October 2011, with the aim of turning it into Colchester’s first Michelin-starred restaurant.

Ten months later company Number Nine Restaurants went into administration, owing £145,000 to food suppliers, Colchester Council and the taxman.

In an entirely legal move, Mr Cole formed a new company, called Reckin, and reopened the venue a few weeks later.

The restaurant closed a second time in December 2012, with Mr Cole saying he would be concentrating on other projects.

In October 2014 he was given permission to lease the building and the Bistro & Bar Below opening shortly afterwards.

Mr Cole did not rule out opening another restaurant in the future but said he is concentrating on attempting to sell his care home business.

He said: “I am very upset and sad about it closing.

“I thought we had found the right balance in terms of the menu and the price. We had some good reviews on Trip Advisor and were one of the top rated restaurants in Colchester town centre.

“If I get the money I want I may well have another go.”

Mr Cole said he was forced to close the Bar & Bistro Below because the restaurant did not take enough money in December.

He said: “There were not enough bums on seats.

“We had ran it for a year and were expecting to have a much better Christmas than we did.

“Most restaurants and bars anticipate making about 25 per cent of their yearly profit in December and we did not get anywhere near.

“We had some good support on Friday and Saturday nights but sometimes on Wednesdays we would just have three or four people in.”

Mr Cole said eight members of staff had lost their jobs.