A COUPLE are preparing to re-open their restaurant today after a burst water pipe left them £20,000 out of pocket and forced them to shut up shop as they waited for repairs.

Husband and wife duo Nic and Leigh Cleeve were heartbroken six weeks ago when they found their Asian restaurant, Taishon, was flooded and covered in a huge puddles of water due to a burst water pipe.

The restaurant, in Canewdon Road, Westcliff, has been shut since and the couple had no other option but to cough up cash for repairs and repaint and redecorate the bulk of the business.

Grand return - TaishonGrand return - Taishon (Image: Nic Cleeve)

Now, they are excitedly preparing to reopen to customers at 5pm today providing a tasty selection of chicken wings, curries, sushi and Asian burgers.

Nic is determined to get the business back to the point it was in July.

He said: “We are a husband and wife trying to create something new, different and tasty for the area, we are already well known for our wings.

New frontage - Taishon New frontage - Taishon (Image: Nic Cleeve)

“We are coming back with a whole new load of items on the menu, and we are excited, we are looking forward to engaging with out customers. We have become friends with them over the three years that we have been here.”

On the closure, Nic has described how the flood forced the business to “instantly close down” due to damage.

Flooding - Damage done to TaishonFlooding - Damage done to Taishon (Image: Nic Cleeve)

In a bid to reopen as soon as possible, Nic carried out a large amount of the repairs himself and has been constantly working for the last two weeks.

He said: “We had to wait for the business to dry out and it took four and a half weeks to even get to the point where we could start working on it.

“I have pulled the floor up. I have repainted, but I am still shocked by the amount of dust that still comes through the ceiling weeks later.

“We are fortunate in the fact the flooding didn’t affect the electrical equipment. What doesn’t get questioned is the time lost, not just the monetary damage.

“We have earned nothing whatsoever for weeks, the industry is so tough as a whole and unfortunately the bigger businesses can come in and they can take a loss of money.

“It is very hard as an independent, we don’t have deep pockets.”