A POPULAR restaurant is set to reopen – after shocked diners watched helplessly as a car ploughed into the building.
The owners of the Halfway House, in North Thoresby, are today meeting with builders and their insurance company to asses the damage.
Matthew Durrant and his wife Angela say the building is currently structurally unsafe, but they hope to have this resolved and diners back in the restaurant by tomorrow night.
However, the required repairs will take several months to complete, and will cost thousands of pounds.
Mr Durrant said: "Visually, it is just a hole in the side of the building but to fix it, the entire wall will have to come down.
"I was not at the restaurant when the incident happened on Saturday night, but I was very quickly informed by my staff."
He recalls them telling him how a black Vauxhall Astra careered into the side of the building which faces the junction off the A16 and towards North Thoresby – where customers were eating at the time.
Apparently a table was taken from underneath one couple, who escaped the incident with minor injuries.
Matthew said: "It is very upsetting as we only took over the restaurant in January last year and refurbished it all.
"But I am just thankful no one was seriously injured.
"It is still unclear how the incident happened."
Restaurant manager Rachel Flello was working when the car hit the building.
She said: "I was behind the bar when I heard this huge bang.
"Our customers were screaming as about eight diners were near the wall that the car came through.
"We had a full house that night due to bank holiday weekend, it was just awful. The police and ambulance service were here almost immediately because they happened to be passing at the time.
"Some customers were treated for burns and others minor scrapes and scratches."
Dale Wright, head chef, was on a break outside and went to the car to help out.
He said: "To my amazement, the male and female in the Astra were unhurt and got out of the car.
"They were both young; I would say in their early 20s."
The exact circumstances of the incident are unknown.
Lincolnshire Police have been unavailable for comment.
Keep checking your Grimsby Telegraph for updates.
ON THE WEB: Read the thoughts of one diner who also sent in pictures from the scene to the Grimsby Telegraph at www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk
