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Farewell to a Grantham favourite - Chinese restaurant Hop Sing to close after 62 years of service




A town’s oldest Chinese restaurant will serve its final meal at the end of this month after more than 60 years.

Hop Sing, which first opened on Welby Street in Grantham in 1962, will close on Saturday, June 28, after eight years in the hands of third-generation owner Shelly Wong.

The restaurant is expected to reopen at a later date as The Clove Bar and Grill, offering authentic Indian cuisine under new management.

Hop Sing closes its doors on June 28, with new owners taking over. Photo: Google Streetview
Hop Sing closes its doors on June 28, with new owners taking over. Photo: Google Streetview

Founded by Peter Cheung, Hop Sing was Grantham’s first Chinese restaurant.

It later moved into the former Malt Shovels Inn on Westgate, a 16th-Century building steeped in the town’s history.

Over the years, it became known not just for its Chinese, Cantonese, Thai and Malaysian dishes, but for its deep community ties.

Shelly, who took over from relatives Mick Lai and Linda Lai in 2017, said the decision to step back followed a series of challenges.

“Like many restaurants, Hop Sing struggled a lot during the covid years and we never really regained our pre-covid capacity,” she explained, adding that social habits had changed, with people eating out less.

“The ongoing cost-of-living crisis also meant that even takeaway orders reduced significantly.”

Shelly joins diners for one of the many memorable moments created at the restaurant over the years. Photo: Supplied
Shelly joins diners for one of the many memorable moments created at the restaurant over the years. Photo: Supplied

Tragedy also struck late last year when the restaurant’s chef of more than five years died suddenly following a stroke.

“Given all the above, it is a good time for a break and to spend some time together with my children. Family is important,” said Shelly.

Hop Sing has been a staple of Grantham’s dining scene for decades.

Guests share a special evening at Hop Sing as part of its long-standing tradition of celebration and community. Photo: Supplied
Guests share a special evening at Hop Sing as part of its long-standing tradition of celebration and community. Photo: Supplied

The name, which translates to “hope everything soars,” became a fitting symbol for a restaurant that adapted with time and generations.

“I’ve enjoyed welcoming in Grantham locals young and old,” said Shelly.

“We’ve also helped young women secure employment through paid training opportunities.”

Laughter and conversation fill the room as friends gather to enjoy a meal at Grantham’s oldest Chinese restaurant. Photo: Supplied
Laughter and conversation fill the room as friends gather to enjoy a meal at Grantham’s oldest Chinese restaurant. Photo: Supplied

The restaurant has played host to countless family celebrations, with one customer recently recalling their first visit as a toddler in 1965.

“He vividly recalled sampling a taster menu and how that influenced a lifelong appreciation for good food,” Shelly said.

She said she would miss being part of the celebrations — from weddings to birthdays and Christmas parties.

The Hop Sing restaurant first opened on Welby Street in 1962 and was hailed as a welcome addition to Grantham’s dining scene. Photo: Grantham Journal
The Hop Sing restaurant first opened on Welby Street in 1962 and was hailed as a welcome addition to Grantham’s dining scene. Photo: Grantham Journal

Customers are invited to return for a final visit and say goodbye.

“It has been an absolute joy to serve this amazing community,” the team wrote in a farewell message.

“Your loyalty, smiles and kind words have meant the world to us.”

When the restaurant first opened on Welby Street in 1962, councillors invited to an opening meal welcomed the new venue, with Coun. A. L. Ramsden remarking: “You are providing something really new in Grantham, where it is desirable that we should have more places to eat.”

In 1969, Hop Sing moved into the former Malt Shovels Inn on Westgate — a 16th-century building rich in history. Photo: Grantham Journal
In 1969, Hop Sing moved into the former Malt Shovels Inn on Westgate — a 16th-century building rich in history. Photo: Grantham Journal

Guests were encouraged to try using chopsticks, which was described at the time as a novelty — met with “varying degrees of success,” according to the Grantham Journal.

A further celebration marked Hop Sing’s relocation to Westgate in 1969, when it moved into the historic Malt Shovels building.

The opening event attracted about 200 guests, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Grantham, Coun and Mrs John Wallwork.

Before Hop Sing moved in, the Westgate site had been home to the Old Malt Shovels Inn, a public house dating back to at least the 16th century.

It once featured in an 18th-Century deed and was known for operating a mail cart service in the 1890s.

At the turn of the century, it also issued beer tokens — one of which could buy a pint of best bitter.

Peter Cheung, who co-owned Hop Sing at the time of the move, said the team had “modernised the inside, but combined the old and the new” — preserving the Tudor character of the upper floor while transforming the ground floor into a Chinese restaurant.



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