‘No parking’ notice at Thornton restaurant hit by van

A popular restaurant forced to close after a van veered across the road and smashed into it has poked fun at its predicament.
Twelve has installed no parking artwork after a van crash last monthTwelve has installed no parking artwork after a van crash last month
Twelve has installed no parking artwork after a van crash last month

Twelve in Thornton has built a new outside wall so it can remain open while the external wall damaged in last month’s smash is demolished and rebuilt.

And bosses have installed artwork that is sure to be a talking point among its customers – a mural that states ‘no parking’. Owner Caroline Upton said: “We have been thrown into a situation out of our control and we have taken a step back and tried to embrace it.

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“It’s tongue in cheek. Nobody was injured – that was the important thing – and we have to embrace the situation.”

The restaurant, at Marsh Mill, reopened last week but the building work means it can only seat 40 people rather than its normal 90.Until reparations are complete, staff will serve up a more relaxed and informal menu in what Caroline described as a ‘pop up bistro’ that will run until the end of November. She said: “We have been dining people in the bar area so it’s a little more informal.”

Twelve was forced to close after a driver said he lost consciousness at the wheel.

He mounted the kerb, narrowly missing youngsters walking home from school, and ploughed into the restaurant on September 21 – causing £100,000 of damage in the process. Twelve’s outside catering arm was not affected.

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