Paternoster Farm, an off-the-radar restaurant near the western tip of Pembrokeshire, faces closure following the loss of its lease – just days after a glowing review in the Sunday Times brought it to national attention.
The restaurant originated as a lockdown project during the pandemic, when self-taught chef Michelle Evans – a former divorce lawyer – opened a farm shop that has developed into a thriving restaurant housed in a converted cowshed at the end of a farm track.
Michelle says Pembrokeshire County Council have offered the lease to somebody else, without any consultation – meaning the restaurant will have to close by the end of the year.
She said: “This peninsula means a lot to me. The Local Authority are asking us to move to another of their holdings in North Pembrokeshire, irrespective of the fact we have built a business here that’s tightly woven into the local community.
“Guests plan their holidays around dining with us, even booking their accommodation to be near to us. The hospitality industry is tough, we have spent four years pouring time, money, our heart and soul into the restaurant. We’re just about getting there, and now we have to leave. There has been no conversation or negotiation to be had, by the time we were made aware, Paternoster Farm had already been offered to another party. Our children are finding it particularly difficult to accept.”
She added, “This isn’t just business—it’s our life, our home, our kids’ childhood. It’s hard to understand why there’s no room for that in the council’s plans.”
The council responded with a statement making clear the lease on Paternoster Farm had always been for a fixed term.
“Pembrokeshire County Council owns a farm estate for the expressed purpose of providing those who wish to farm a way of entering into the industry. To fulfil this function, tenancies are not for life but are for a fixed term, to enable tenants to ‘move on’ to larger farm holdings (as these tenants are being offered the opportunity to do).
“To reflect that policy objective, the original lease entered into with the tenants of Paternoster Farm was for a 10-year period. Everyone understood that when the lease was agreed.“
No official closing date has been set, and Paternoster Farm is expected to remain open into the autumn while Michelle looks for a new site.
“It’s early days. We’re still coming to terms with the news, and we’re not sure what our next project will be, but we are keen not to lose momentum. It will be in Pembrokeshire. Whether it’s a restaurant, café, or pub—we’re not ready to give up. We owe it to our brilliant staff and loyal suppliers to keep going.”
“If a new opportunity arises that needs us to act quickly, then we may close sooner, so come and eat with us while you still can”.
