Covid case forces Zaks restaurant to close temporarily

The bosses at Zaks American diner venues in Norwich city centre and Poringland have closed one of their restaurants because of a staff shortage due to Covid.

The Zaks Waterside restaurant, Barrack Street, will now be closed until Monday because of a lack of sufficient staff.

It had been hoped the restaurant, owned by business partners Chris Carr and Ian Hacon, could reopen on Friday.

Mr Carr said that it wasn't a recruitment problem but that a staff member at the riverside venue had gone off sick through Covid - meaning others had to self-isolate.

Zaks Waterside venue, which is closed temporarily - Credit: Zaks

This member of staff had not contracted Covid at Zaks but socially, outside the workplace, he said.

However, in accordance with test and trace rules, some workers at Zaks had needed to self-isolate as a result.

"We have around 25-30 staff at Waterside, we are fully staffed but we have a shortage because some are having to self-isolate. They tend to be younger people who we have working at the Waterside restaurant.

"We have posted this on our Facebook page and contacted everyone who had a booking at the restaurant before Monday when we hope to be open again."

Zaks diners are located in Barrack Street, by the river, Mousehold Heath and Poringland. Mr Hacon and Mr Carr took over the business just before Covid, in February 2020 and they have since launched a new takeaway menu as well as creating two mobile vans selling burgers.

Zaks famously used to sell foil-wrapped burgers from a van in Farmer's Avenue decades ago with the pair bringing back the concept.