'Wonderful' Tavistock restaurant to close after 15 years as owner retires

A much-loved Tavistock restaurant is set to close next month after its owner announced her retirement following 15 years in business.

Karen Kestell, who runs Karen's Restaurant on Brook Street, said her final day of trading will be Saturday, October 10.

She said a combination of health issues and a desire to spend more time with her husband, family and grandchildren had led to the decision.

“It’s that time,” Karen told The Moorlander. “We want to go on holidays, see the grandkids and enjoy ourselves while we’ve got the time.”

Karen has lived locally all her life, attended school in Tavistock and spent much of her working life in the town.

Before opening her own restaurant, she worked for around 25 years at TJ's and Jack and Jill's.

She said the idea of running her own business was encouraged by her husband after she had also worked part-time at Tesco following the death of her first husband.

Karen said her love of cooking was heavily influenced by her aunt.

“My aunt definitely brought me here,” she said. “She ran five restaurants for Selfridges and left me her cookbooks, and her house when she passed. I still use the recipes to this day.”

She eventually opened her own restaurant in the premises where she had previously worked for the family of the landlord.

Karen said the landlord had been supportive when she took on the business, making it something of a “full-circle” moment.

The restaurant has become known for its homemade, traditional food, with Karen saying almost everything is prepared on the premises.

Its customers have included local residents, regular visitors and people travelling into Tavistock from across West Devon and beyond.

Karen said customers had made the journey from Launceston, Callington, Liskeard and across Dartmoor.

She also described how the restaurant helped older customers form bonds through regular visits.

“We can get a lot of single OAPs,” she said. “On our busiest days we sit them together, creating friendships, and they come back and sit together again.”

The restaurant's traditional food has included homemade meals, cakes, roasts and its Dartmoor Beast breakfast.

Karen said the business had remained steady over its 15 years, attracting both new and returning customers, although trade became quieter after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restaurant also built a strong connection with local charity fundraising.

Over the years she estimates around £10,000 was raised for charities including Crohn's and Colitis UK, with annual Dickensian Evening events featuring mulled wine and mince pies.

She said the events could raise around £1,000 in an evening, with all the money going to charity.

Her retirement announcement on Facebook has prompted a large response from customers and friends, with messages thanking her for the food, the restaurant and her support for the community.

One comment read: “What a wonderful career and business you’ve had a true inspiration on a lot of peoples life’s.”

Karen said the reaction had brought her to tears, with customers bringing in flowers, chocolates and wine.

She is now preparing for the restaurant's final weeks and said she is trying to keep ingredient orders to a minimum while clearing stock.

There will also be a cake sale at the restaurant from 2pm on Saturday, October 10, with cakes priced at £1.50.

The business has been marketed for sale, with an online listing on Daltons Businesses indicating a leasehold price of £20,000, with a new 10-year lease available.

Karen said there had been a number of viewings but that finding someone willing to take on a business in the current climate had proved difficult.

She said the business had also been offered to her 26-year-old grandson, who works at the restaurant, but he was not interested in taking it on.

Karen hopes the premises will continue as another restaurant or similar business after she leaves.

For now, Karen is preparing for a very different Christmas period.

She said she usually makes around 400 Christmas cakes, but this year will be the first Christmas in 15 years when she will not be doing so.

“I’m definitely looking forward to having a Christmas off!” she concluded.