A car smashed into a family-run restaurant – destroying a window, door and brickwork – just 15 minutes before the Bank Holiday lunchtime rush.
Pictures show the extensive damage caused to The Cow Shed at The Ship Inn in Faversham just after 12pm yesterday.
Bosses have been left reeling by the shocking crash, being forced to close during a busy weekend.
But they say it is “very lucky” that the collision occurred before customers who had booked tables for lunch were due to arrive.
The venue had been open since 10am but, fortunately, the staff or locals inside were not hurt.
The owners are now waiting for structural engineers to assess the damage to the Grade II-listed site.
Charlotte Lamba, who runs the eatery with her parents, Emma and Justin, today told KentOnline that while they are insured, the ordeal has added to already “worrying times”.
“We are really struggling to get hold of insurance companies going into the Bank Holiday. So, we don’t really have a lot of answers,” she said.
“At the moment, we can’t even guarantee where we’re covered from an insurance point of view, to how it’s going to affect the business going forward.”
She said any costs will add to existing financial strains facing hospitality businesses, such as minimum wage rises.
“We are insured, and we’ve got everything in place that we need to – but at the same time it’s difficult times,” Charlotte said.
“There was a light at the end of a long tunnel but it does feel like that light’s all of sudden got a lot further away at the moment.
“It’s worrying times for everybody. It’s not where we want to be.”
The owners are hopeful they will be able to open the restaurant this week – but the building has taken a battering.
Charlotte says the impact destroyed a door and a window – and dislodged brickwork. A six-metre section of the wall has now been removed, with scaffolding erected inside and out.
Until engineers assess the damage and share whether the building is safe, all upcoming events have had to be cancelled, including the New Model Mexican Mondays which was supposed to launch today.
She added: “We do normally have a fully-booked quiz every Tuesday night, so we’ve already let down all of our customers who were booked in for today and tomorrow.”
However, the team have managed to move some bookings to their sister site at The Cow Shed in Birchington.
Looking ahead, Charlotte says the 38 members of staff across the Cow Shed company will be “all hands on deck” to get the building open and ready once they get the green light.
“It’s a very family-oriented business; we all look out for each other,” she said.
She also thanked residents for their support after the crash.
“Faversham came through and the community pulled together,” she added.
“I can’t thank people enough, really, but being honest, it’s trying times anyway and it’s definitely trying for the family at the moment.”
Police were called to the scene and closed the road between Brogdale Road and Ospringe Road while the vehicle was recovered.
Following the crash yesterday, a spokesman for the force said: “We were called at around 12.05pm to reports of a collision involving one car on the A2 London Road, Faversham, near the junction with Ospringe Road.
“Officers attended and closed the road while the vehicle was recovered.”
Paramedics also attended and one person was taken to hospital. Their condition has not been confirmed.
