Tomahawk reveals reason behind Morpeth restaurant closure

Last week, the popular steak chain announced the shock news that it would be closing the doors to its site on New Market immediately. 

Although Tomahawk had been in the town since 2023, it was shut for a year and a half from January 2024 due to ceiling damage in the main dining area. 

Now, Tomahawk owner Howard Eggleston has revealed the reason behind the closure – but said it may keep ownership of the building and look at setting up a pop-up style operation. 

He said: “We are now looking to either sell the venue freehold or potentially rent it out fully fitted. We would look at doing pop up style operations as well to start up operators.”

Mr Eggleston said the decision was also due to Tomahawk’s aim to open in bigger cities, with the chain already boasting sites in Durham, Newcastle, and York.

It is now looking at branching out to Glasgow, Scotland, and Nottingham, with Mr Eggleston saying the firm needed the resources to fund the new ideas.

A full statement on the restaurant’s website apologised for any inconvenience caused by the Morpeth closure, saying all gift vouchers were valid at other restaurants. 

Despite this, Tomahawk is continuing its drive of expansion on Teesside, with a new fish and chip shop still in the pipeline on Yarm High Street, separate to its current restaurant.

It will follow the opening of the Tomahawk owner’s new Spanish tapas restaurant La Terraza in the town.

Although the chippy plans were knocked back, Mr Eggleston said teams are still working to get an angle to sort the new venture.