Marking the end of the era for the village, a Pan Asian restaurant on the High Street has been demolished. Once a bustling and thriving restaurant, all that remains are memories and rubble.
Pin Wei had been forced to shut its doors to customers back on New Year’s Eve 2022 after the landlord sold the site to developers.
Choy Chan, who ran Pin Wei for 17 years, has been left completely heartbroken and is unable to drive past the wreckage. She said that she fondly remembers her interactions with customers at the restaurant.
Reminiscing, Choy said: “Outside the restaurant, we would talk with our customers and become friends with the community. It was a special place for sure. I wish [the landlords] had done it more nicely; they should’ve paid me some compensation.
“I didn’t get a penny from it. It was brutal the way they did it. Obviously, it is sad to see it go, but I am glad for the locals. Developers have at least started to do something with the site and not just leave it empty.”
As one of the village’s former favourite eateries, many had fond memories of Pin Wei.
Editor of abbotsnews Nik Allen said: “I feel quite sad about it, and I don’t feel that way about a lot of places. I just think I remember all the times we had there from day one.”
The reaction of disappointment was also felt across Facebook, as one resident shared: “We lost a brilliant restaurant for nothing could have stayed open longer…miss it.”
New owners, the Wellington Pub Company (WPC), put forward plans to demolish the existing building in 2025 and instead build six two-storey dwellings.
Asked if the restaurant would still be open if landlords extended the lease, Choy replied: “Yes, definitely for sure.”
WPC has been contacted for comment.
Photo credit: Hoss photography
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