Grade I building in Bury St Edmunds let for Japanese restaurant

Grade I listed building, Cupola House in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk has been let to a local restaurant operator to be re-opened later this year as an authentic Japanese restaurant.

Cupola House was built in 1693, however in 2012 the property was damaged by a serious fire. The property has now been rebuilt under the guidance of English Heritage and has now been fully restored to the finest details of the original building.

Historically, the property has reputedly been linked to English author Daniel Defoe, famed for having written Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is reported to have visited Bury St Edmunds in 1704, having just served a prison sentence for the publication of Shortest Way with the Dissenters, which displeased the Anglican Church. The property’s famous encounter has been immortalised by a plaque inside of building.

Gareth Hatton from Fleurets, the agent overseeing the transaction for the property’s landlord, OMC Investments, said: “This is another significant milestone for the hospitality industry in Bury St Edmunds and indeed East Anglia. The letting of such a significant building demonstrates that there is still an appetite for independent operators looking to take on exciting new opportunities. I feel that the town will greatly benefit from such a restaurant.”