2020 has wreaked havoc on businesses across the globe, here in the UK the entertainment and hospitality industries were perhaps the worst affected by, first, the pandemic, then the delayed response from the government. One such beloved, adored and unique venue that combines the two perfectly is CinCin Bar & Bistro. The music loving community of Deal and beyond rejoiced in early august as it was announced online.
The music loving community of Deal and beyond rejoiced in early August as it was announced online: “Four months ago we closed our doors and to be quite honest, we weren’t certain we would open them again. But… WE ARE BACK!”
Since then the weekends of many residents have revolved around ‘CinCin’s Sunday Din Dins’. That’s right, the roast dinners have gone down a storm and look positively Instagrammable. CommunityAd, driven by hunger and admiration for this much-loved independent venue, went to find out more and had the pleasure of chatting with manager Tanya Tong.
So, Tanya, firstly what a year you’ve been through!
This year has been incredibly challenging for the hospitality industry but particularly hard for venues like ours which have a focus on live music and dance-based events. We have had to reduce our capacity significantly which then throws doubt over breaking even when we do try to put on live music or events. Seated, no singing or dancing exacerbates this even more, however, we are willing to try to provide events where we can as long as we do all we can to keep our customers and staff safe.
How good does it feel to be back serving the community? The town benefits from having such venues operating, doesn’t it?
We have had to alter our direction and focus on the bar and food offering side more but so far, the response from our customers has been positive and it is so good to be back doing what we do best, making our customers new and old feel welcomed, comfortable and to provide a really good night out. We are very lucky to have a loyal and supportive customer base! As well as our already popular Sunday Roasts, we have added a Small Plates and Sharing Platters menu.
We offer many vegan options, and can cater for food allergies and intolerances with notice.
Running an independent venue isn’t easy, especially when coming into the industry as a novice but venues like ours are vital to the local economy and are one of things that makes Deal stand out and be a little different from your standard high street and town. Being tucked away down a small lane, not visible from the High Street, we pride ourselves on outstanding customer service and it’s always an absolute pleasure to hear how people have stumbled across us but can’t wait to return and tell their friends about us. Our entire existence has been based on our social media following and word of mouth.
How long have you lived in Deal and what makes it such a lovely community to be a part of?
Although not originally from Deal, I moved here at a young age and my husband moved here when we met. Deal is a friendly, vibrant town with so much to offer from the swathe of independent shops, coffee shops and bars to the wonderful seafront, pier, castles and local gardens. In fact, my mum, Linda, runs a community project up at Sandown Castle Gardens and assists with improving other public spaces to make Deal looked after and colourful all year round. Deal is our home and we feel incredibly happy being part of a welcoming, supportive community.
We are trialling live music on Sundays over the next few weekends to get a taste of how the dynamics might work with a hope to bringing it back as a regular event. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for event listings!