Plenty on menu at Moores’ in the run-up to Easter Sunday

A couple who helped put Newton Poppleford on the culinary map are preparing to call time on their business after more than 12 years.

The owners of Moores’ Restaurant have issued a thank-you to their many loyal and friends after revealing plans to retire after Easter - but confirmed they will not be moving away from the community that welcomed them so warmly.

Kate and Jonathan Moore left high-flying London careers in 2004, when their children were aged just three and five, after finding the Victorian restaurant premises completely by chance and falling in love with it.

From its origins as the village shop in the early 1990s, the building has gone through many transformations over the decades, and will now be converted into a family home for the Moores – but not before they treat customers to a last clutch of culinary offerings.

Kate said: “It’s been great - we have had a lot of regulars and lovely customers and catered for everything from weddings and birthdays to wakes. We have made a lot of friends. There is a really special feel to the place and it will convert into a really lovely family home.

“We are really excited about the next step and glad we do not have to leave the village.”

Speaking about their impending retirement, Kate said, as much as they have loved running the restaurant, it has been hard work – and with her and Jonathan now approaching their 50s – the couple decided it was now or never to look at changing careers.

She added that their children, Sophie and Thomas, have always been part of the family-run business and - now 17 and 15 respectively – are well-known by regulars, as are the team of staff who have been with the restaurant for the full 12 years.

Jonathan honed his talents as a chef in prestigious establishments, including Blake’s Hotel and London’s Capital club, before the move to Devon, where he has established a reputation for using fresh, local ingredients.

Kate worked her way up from a part-time sales assistant to overseeing 28 retail shops and says that whatever her next venture is, she always wants to work with people.

Far from closing quietly, the couple are keeping busier than ever in the run-up to retirement, with a host of special nights and features menus planned.

The last day of trading is Easter Sunday (April 16) and Kate advised booking is essential.