Work to raise half-sunken Miller & Carter restaurant begins

Work to raise a half-sunken Miller & Carter restaurant at Lakeside Shopping Centre has begun, six months after it began taking on water.

The steakhouse, which occupies a replica paddle steamer, has been partially underwater since 23 December 2022.

At the time the restaurant said on its Facebook page that it had been forced to close due to "structural issues".

Howard Oldstein, director of Lakeside, had told the BBC that three or four Miller & Carter team members were evacuated during the incident.

A spokesperson for Lakeside Shopping Centre yesterday (28 June) told Essex Live: "We can confirm that a contractor has been appointed to start the operation to raise the Millar & Carter restaurant. Once able to do so, they will be able to report on their findings and assessments, which will enable us to make an informed decision."

The paddle steamer was refurbished and opened under the Miller & Carter brand, operated by Mitchells & Butlers, in 2019.

Image: Miller & Carter Lakeside/Facebook