We were no closer to discovering the future of Willow last week after the owner refused to confirm or quash rumours of a possible closure.
Social media has been awash with hearsay over the student favourite’s future for the last seven days, with some claiming that the restaurant would be shutting its doors in two weeks.
One student took to social media to say: “Willow is closing down. Let’s start a petition.”
On Wednesday, owner Tommy Fong said he knew students had been gossiping but had “no comment” to say on his disco and bar’s future.
An employee at the Coney Street venue described the rumours as “Chinese Whispers”, telling students not to worry.
“One or two things may have been said,” Vision was told.
“However, I very much doubt that Willow will close in the time people are saying it is.”
A council official confirmed that the restaurant, which came under fire last year from Coronation Street star Sean Tully for its alleged “student-only” admissions policy, was not having its licence revoked, suggesting that it will not be closing down.
“It’s probably a marketing ploy,” one cynic told us.
“I can’t see Willow closing its doors any time soon.”
Rumours originally floated earlier this month when an employee for YUSUBars updated a Facebook status saying they had “just heard that Willow may be closing next term.”
When York Vision asked who had informed them, they said they heard it from some “girl at the Lounge” who had “never lied before”, adding that the girl had probably “heard it on the grapevine” – a reference to lyrics in a song by American musician Marvin Gaye.
This entire article could just be replaced with the word ‘no’
Was it really necessary to to cite Marvin Gaye at the end of this article? Seems unnecessary and a bit laughable…
Solid sources as ever Vision
Guys, it was literally just someone in pantsoc that started a rumour and it got spread around Facebook.
Just last week, in my Sambuca-fuelled drunken haze, I couldn’t help but notice that they were training a new girl behind the bar who, as a side note, had a remarkable ability to understand my drunken slurred requests for more shots. Hardly something they would do if they were planning on closing it.
@df this entire newspaper could quite easily be replaced with the word ‘no’
So now Vision reports on rumours and hearsay? This is solid journalism right here.
The owner is my current landlord. They do spend a lot of time down in the smoke these days, so there could be some truth in it. Lovely people though.