End of an era

Providing what many regarded as Bermudaâs premier fine dining experience, Fourways served presidents, celebrities and countless VIPs over its 250-year history and became something of a local institution.

MEF is taking over and will use the property for group functions such as weddings and conferences and as a much-needed base for their catering business. They will also continue to rent out the holiday cottages. However, it is uncertain whether the restaurant, which has been closed for the past two months, will re-open. There are no plans for it to re-open this year and if it does re-open, it is unlikely to be in the same form. Only the kitchen and waiting staff are being kept on and general manager Gerry Ivers, has been given one monthâs notice. He was unavailable for comment.

Regular Fourways patron Benjamin Rego said he was saddened to hear the news: ãIt was a very special place· to say that I loved the place is an understatement· It had the aura of a restaurant that was unbeatableä.

Flora Perks has been a customer for more than 20 years. Since her husband died in 1979, she has been going to the restaurant nearly every Saturday night. ãIt was the most elegant restaurant on the island. You would walk through the doors and feel this wonderful ambience.ä News of its closure was ãlike being struck a blow.ä

The last time that the restaurant was open for dinner was on New Years Eve 2001. At that time, staff were told that the restaurant would be closed for two months and would re-open on March 1st 2002. News of the sale has come as a shock to some of them.

Xavier Messina, who was the pianist at Fourways Inn, was very upset when he was told the news ãout of the blueä on Tuesday. Mr. Messina has been playing the piano at Fourways for 25 years and his music helped create the Fourways atmosphere. Initially invited to work at Fourways for just six months, Mr. Messina was so popular that the management kept him on and he was granted his long term residence certificate in 1998. During his career at Fourways he delighted many notable personalities by playing their requests. Ross Perot reportedly said to him: ãXavier, you make Fourways· You come first, the food comes second.ä

Maisie Farge, who has worked at Fourways for 25 years, was also taken by surprise. Her son, Richard Farge, was a former manager and part-owner. Mrs Farge, 87, used to greet customers and recently had been doing the flowers. When she came in to work this week, Mr.. Ivers ãdropped the bombshellä that the restaurant would not be re-opening and she would no longer be required on a daily basis.

The inn has been going for 250 years. In 1976, it was taken over by four new shareholders: Walter Sommer, who had previously been president of the Princess group, Edgar Wilkinson, David Wilkinson and Richard Farge. According to Mrs Farge ãthey had it in its heyday.ä

Diana Ross

With Mr. Sommer at the helm, Fourways became the top restaurant in Bermuda and was frequented by the local elite and celebrities such as Diana Ross and President Nixon. Pictures of them were displayed in a gallery of photographs in the entranceway.

Werner Kienberger took over as general manager from Walter Sommer. He recalls that when President George Bush senior visited the restaurant, the kitchen was swarming with secret service agents: One even tested the Presidentâs food.

Sir John Swan became a shareholder of Fourways 25 years ago. He brought influential friends to dine there including Margaret Thatcher and Colin Powell. But his interest in Fourways was mainly as a property investment.

Mr Kienberger, who left Fourways six years ago to start his own restaurant in London, has followed Fourwaysâ fortunes and observes that in recent years it did not give good value for money. ã$60 for a main course is as expensive as the best restaurants in the world.ä

The downturn in tourism and September 11 had obvious consequences and business was suffering. Maisie Farge says the demand for fine dining had also diminished: ãWe found that people donât want to dress up, they wanted to be more casual these days· itâs a different worldä.

Sir John Swan scaled back staff to cut costs. He said: ãBusiness was not exactly haemorrhaging, but September 11 had some effect.ä

Head chef Steve Young departed and for the past six months Fourways has been operating with a skeleton staff of about ten people.

When the opportunity arose to sell to MEF, it seemed the right move to Sir John Swan: ãOur business is real estate·We found ourselves being distracted.ä

For MEF, the purchase makes good business sense. Emilio Barbieri, Managing Director of MEF, confirmed that at present the group will concentrate on developing Fourways as a group function venue. ãIt is the perfect setting for weddings.ä

He said that he does not rule out re-opening the restaurant and in time they will consider whether it is viable, but the time being, the future of Fourways Inn restaurant remains uncertain.

Xavierâs story

THE atmosphere that diners enjoyed at Fourways has been largely attributed to pianist, Xavier Messina, left.

Colleague Maisie Farge recalls how she and her son discovered Xavier during a trip to London for her sonâs wedding in 1976.

He was originally only due to come for six months but he had a moped accident and injured his wrist.

They managed to get him patched up and it was discovered that he could still move his fingers with his wrist in a cast.

Someone came up with the idea of rigging up a sling from a beam above the piano and Xavier was able to play. This unusual manner of playing became quite an attraction and according to Maisie, made Xavier such a feature, that they couldnât let him leave.

Photos by Becky Ausenda[[In-content Ad]]