Hartlepool restaurant The Open Jar closes its doors due to cost of living crisis

The Open Jar, in Seaton Reach, Hartlepool, shut in October 2023 for essential maintenance but will not now reopen after its owner, Joe Franks, took the difficult decision to make the closure permanent.

He will concentrate instead on building on the success of last summer’s debut Open Jar Tribute Festival at Seaton Carew.

Speaking to the Mail this week, Mr Franks said: "Our electricity bill has gone up and so has minimum wage.

"The price of a parmo has doubled since Covid but we haven’t increased our prices.

"We had to close for maintenance in October. We sat there looking at everything and in all honesty, it was the first time I had some peace and quiet.

"We sat talking about the festival – making it bigger and better. It was an eye opener.”

He continued: “When I started off at The Open Jar, it was really enjoyable, but it has gotten a lot harder.

"We are still picking up the pieces from Covid and I know other businesses are too.”

The Open Jar has been serving delicious food for seven years and while Joe is sad to leave it all behind, he believes it is the right decision.

He said: “I am ready for a change. It feels like the right time.”

Despite closing his Seaton Carew business, The Open Jar, in Norton, will remain open and Joe will instead be focusing on bringing more events to Hartlepool.

Mr Franks, in collaboration with Neil Winterbottom and Jordan Jefferson, from By The Sea Leisure, are hosting their second Open Jar Tribute Festival on September 6 and 7 and hope it will be just as popular as the first.

Tickets are now on sale for the two-day tribute festival and the lineup includes cover music by Harry Styles, The Spice Girls, Coldplay, George Ezra, Arctic Monkeys, Sam Fender and ABBA.

Joe is grateful to all of the staff and customers that have made The Open Jar a success over the years and is looking forward to what the future holds.