Popular Chinese buffet restaurant at Gunwharf Quays to close after 13 years

The Water Margin, an Oriental buffet at Gunwharf Quays, posted its intention on its Facebook page today.

A statement from the restaurant said: ‘It’s goodbye from us! The Water Margin Portsmouth will be serving for the last time this Sunday, September 18.

‘For your last chance to experience our oriental buffet in Portsmouth book a table here: https://goo.gl/QH5kGt or call us on (023) 9229 3388.

‘Don’t forget you can still visit our London restaurant based in the O2 arena https://goo.gl/KrXDPH.’

People reacted with shock at the news but the company moved to reassure them it was not going out of business.

It has an existing restaurant at the O2 Arena in London – and it said it would be looking for a new premises, which it hopes to be in Portsmouth.

Manager John Waites said the company had offered the Portsmouth staff – about 40 people – alternative employment at its London restaurant.

He said: ‘Whether that will be practical for them is another matter, so we’d like to make other employers in Portsmouth know about the availability of some very good and hard-working staff.’

Mr Waites thanked the customers and urged people to visit for a last meal.

He said: ‘It is a last chance as it is the end of an era.

‘We were only released from our confidentiality agreement with the centre yesterday but we wanted to let people know about the closing so that they can visit, if they want to, for a last meal.

‘It is a great location, right next to the Spinnaker Tower, and we are sad to leave but want to thank all our customers over the years.’

He said a ‘combination of factors’ had led to the closure including the landlord having ‘other plans’ for the site.

The restaurant opened in 2003.

It has made headlines on several times over the years, including in May 2012 when a fire caused £50,000 worth of damage and in 2007 when it was raided by immigration officials and some illegal workers posed as diners to evade capture.