Splendido boss vows to find a new location

Angelo Buglione, general manager of Splendido, is optimistic of securing an alternative venue, possibly in Hamilton, and hopes to keep all his 12 members of staff.

Splendido opened at Horizons, Paget, in the summer of 2008.

The Mediterranean-style restaurant, overlooking the south shore, won Bermudian magazine’s Best of Bermuda Award in 2010 for Most Romantic Restaurant.

Hospital

But earlier this year, the owners of Horizons gave the management notice to vacate the premises by the end of February.

They were told the main house, in which the restaurant is situated, was needed to house nine members of staff at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board leased 40 rooms in the cottages last year while renovations take place at the hospital’s nursing residences.

The restaurant held its last dinner on Sunday and finished with a staff party on Monday evening. Mr. Buglione said: “We are very sad we have to move.

“We were fully booked at the weekend and last week as well. The customers are all very sorry we have to close.

But we are looking at two other locations at the moment. As soon as we find somewhere we will let our customers know through our electronic newsletter.

“We hope we can relocate and stay altogether under the same company.”

BHB said: “Bermuda Hospitals Board is in the final stages of commercially sensitive discussions with Horizons owners for temporarily leasing rooms for use by nursing staff during renovations to our former nursing residence.

“We recognise this has an impact on Splendido and are sympathetic to the staff who work there.

“However, the terms of the agreement, if finalized in their current form, would restrict BHB’s use of the property to BHB purposes only.”