The Lobster Pot restaurant in Nottingham has shut its doors without explanation
A much-admired dining establishment in Nottingham has abruptly ceased operations. A sign posted in the window of the Lobster Pot reads that due to circumstances beyond their control, the venue will remain shut until further notice.
The beloved establishment on Mansfield Road has been a fixture in the city for a considerable time. It first opened its doors 25 years ago, focusing on marine fare including lobster, prawns and oysters alongside Thai-inspired cuisine. The standout offering was a seafood sharing board priced at £139.
All of the restaurant’s social media accounts have been wiped. Reporters from the Nottingham Post have sought a response from the proprietors.
Devoted patrons have heaped compliments on the Lobster Pot, calling the cuisine superb, the service remarkable and the ambience ideal.
The Lobster Pot has been issued with a First Gazette Notice for mandatory strike-off, a public alert, by Companies House after failing to fulfill its legal duty to submit an annual confirmation statement.
A confirmation statement constitutes a filing that all British limited companies must submit to Companies House at least once yearly, confirming that the business’s essential details, including its registered office location and director information, remain accurate and current on the public record.
The venue was initially launched in 2001 by Wat Pongsawang, a former taxi driver from Bangkok who relocated to Britain and worked as a chef until stepping down.
The intimate establishment was passed to his son Chatchai, known as Der, roughly a decade ago. He maintained the original culinary approach while also adding fresh selections such as a customisable menu format.
Illustrating the affection for the Lobster Pot, hundreds of nominations were submitted by Nottingham Post readers in the premier restaurant category of Notts Bites, our contest highlighting the finest food and drink venues across the county in 2025.
A second Lobster Pot location launched on Villa Street in Beeston during 2016, though the tenancy was ended ahead of schedule in 2024.
At that point, Chatchai remarked that circumstances had reached a stage where they were essentially operating without any profit. He explained that with every expense rising dramatically in cost, the business had become unviable to the extent that they were effectively serving customers at a loss, unable to cover their own obligations.
He expressed that their fondness for their patrons brought them satisfaction, but that the reality became apparent only once the establishment emptied and they were left examining the financial figures.