A Japanese bar and restaurant in central Glasgow has blamed the “strangling” rise in National Insurance Contributions for its closure.
Mikaku, known for its immersive “slice of Tokyo” experience, colourful interiors and innovative menu, will shut on Sunday 14 September, seven years after opening in Queen Street.
The team behind it has switched attention to launching Clydeside Containers, a street food and drink destination on the Clyde riverfront.
Restaurant director Nathan Sparling said: “Closing Mikaku was not an easy decision. It has been a truly special place for both our team and our guests, and we are incredibly proud of what Mikaku has achieved.
“From celebrating Ramen Week with £1 bowls, to launching one of Glasgow’s most innovative cocktail menus, to introducing a real Robata Grill to the city for the first time – Mikaku has been about bringing something bold, different and authentic to Queen Street, seven days a week.
“The memories created here, and the community that has grown around it, will always be a huge source of pride.
“But like so many venues in Glasgow and across the UK, we’ve faced the well-documented challenges in hospitality – from rising costs and staffing pressures, to shifts in consumer behaviour.
“The recent rise in National Insurance contributions has added even more pressure, strangling independent operators like us at a time when the sector is still recovering. These wider challenges have been a significant factor in the decision to close, allowing us to refocus our efforts and resources on the exciting opportunity ahead at Clydeside Containers.”
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