Bid submitted to turn Grain restaurant in Colchester into Kintsu

Paul Wendholt, who until the end of October ran Grain with business partner Jordan Sidwell, has submitted a planning application to remodel the premises, off North Hill, before it reopens as Kintsu.

The new restaurant will be of a similar style to Grain, which offered small plates for diners to create their own tasting menu, with Mr Wendholt also promising fresh ideas.

The chef raised more than £28,000 through a Kickstarter campaign to get the new business off the ground.

He is proposing a number of layout changes at the premises in the application, including creating a larger kitchen and bar area, as well as a private dining space upstairs.

Grain, North Hill, Colchester...Jordan Sidwell and Paul Wendholt in the kitchen.

Mr Wendholt said in the planning application: “Based on my experience operating the site at 11a North Hill as a restaurant for the past four years, my proposal centres around making the ground floor space better suited to a high-end restaurant experience from an operation point of view.

“The alterations to the second floor are to make better use of the space and ultimately the building alongside creating a better customer experience for our guests.”

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No structural changes to the building are planned, and the new restaurant would create nine full-time and part-time jobs.

Mr Wendholt said: “These proposals have been carefully developed, having due regard to the constraints of the existing architectural character and historic detail of this listed building.

“Wherever there is a plan to remove or alter any existing features, consideration and research has been done to ascertain when and how each of those elements has been added to the building.”

“None of the alterations interfere with or alter the structure of the building and all internal alterations and additions will be of a reversible nature using sympathetic materials, avoiding fixing or alteration of any of the main barn’s original features.”

Grain closed in October when the business partners decided not to renew their lease on the premises because of the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Colchester Council will have the final say on the plans.