A COUPLE trying to open two restaurants at once have spoken of a “horrendous” fortnight waiting for a £49,000 tax rebate.

Jonathan and Claire Hilsdon have been unable to pay more than 20 staff at their Chariots and Cherry Pie American diner in Buckland, near Faringdon, which opened in June.

Meanwhile, the couple have come up against building problems as they try to open a £1m second branch at the former Volunteer pub on the A338 near Grove.

And three attempted break-ins at the Buckland branch, they said, had forced them to employ two overnight security guards – a further unexpected cost.

Mrs Hilsdon said the cheque from HM Revenue and Customs is in the post and the Grove branch will open on Friday.

Mrs Hilsdon said: “It has been a horrendous few weeks for us. It has been more of a stretch on cash than we imagined.

“We have done everything we can to ensure our staff get paid. We said we would pay on September 1 but the wages will be late – we are now turning things around.

“With the support of everyone in Wantage and Grove we will make this diner a success.”

One of the Buckland staff who was not paid was 18-year-old Jessica Bracegirdle, who had worked as a pot washer from 4pm to midnight since August 12 until she quit on Tuesday. She said: “On Monday my manager said the money would be coming through and that was the last I heard.”

Oxford Mail:

The former Volunteer pub

Mrs Hilsdon said the couple submitted a claim for £49,000 VAT from HMRC on July 31 associated with the business costs of opening the Buckland diner.

Because the claim was so large, she said inspectors had to interview them about the claim, but following a 45-minute meeting she said they were satisfied it was legitimate.

Mrs Hilsdon said HMRC had put a cheque in the post on Tuesday, and now the couple were expecting it “any day”.

The couple bought the Volunteer pub in Station Road, Grove, alongside the railway bridge on the A338 Oxford road, for £330,000 last year and said it would employ 35 staff. They planned to spend £1m transforming it into a 100-cover diner, car wash and 11-bedroom motel.

Oxford Mail:

Jessica Bracegirdle

The first hurdle came when Network Rail applied to close the road for up to six months to rebuild a rail bridge but that was refused by Oxfordshire County Council.

But in the middle of transforming the pub, Mrs Hilsdon said they realised they would have to add a rear exit for cars. That meant negotiating with the Lockinge Estate to use its land.

Customers will now enter on the A338, the main Wantage to Oxford road, and exit onto the small road which leads to Tune Rite motor services.

Mrs Hilsdon, a mother-of-four, said: “We have had a rocky time getting here but we haven’t given up.”

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