A Shrewsbury restaurant has been closed after its lease was suspended because of unpaid rent. Bailiffs entered Grazia, in Victoria Quay, on Friday.

They changed the locks and posted notices telling customers the restaurant was closed.

John Tripp, from City Centre Restaurants (UK) Ltd, which leases the premises to Grazia, said the company had been forced to take action after restaurant manager Alistair Brown fell behind with rent payments.

“The lease has been forfeited due to rent arrears – that’s the only circumstance under which it can be forfeited. All this happened very suddenly on Friday,” Mr Tripp said.

In February, the restaurant faced having its gas supply cut off after a dispute over an unpaid bill for more than £20,000.

And a month ago the restaurant closed for a week while Mr Brown said he was working on a deal which would help secure the long-term future of the business.

But just two weeks after reopening, Grazia reported problems with a drop in trade.

Mr Tripp said: “Mr Brown came to see me two weeks ago and from what he told me I understood that the restaurant was closing on some days when trade was slow, and opening on others.

“It was surprising that the place wasn’t open for business.”

Mr Brown took over the site in 2006. He was unavailable for comment.

Mr Tripp said he now plans to find another tenant and to reopen the restaurant as soon as possible.

The site is owned by Morris Property which leases the building to City Centre Restaurants (UK) Ltd.