Stroud's South American cuisine restaurant Galgos Latino has closed its doors following the impact of the coronavirus.

The restaurant, located at The Greyhound in Gloucester Street, has closed following a severe drop in revenue over the last week after the Government's decision to advise residents to avoid bars and restaurants.

Owner David Barrett said: "We’ve taken the decision to close.

"I don’t understand the Government’s strategy by keeping pubs and restaurants open but telling people to avoid them, and our revenue has fallen rapidly over the last few days.

"At the end of the month we pay our staff, and then the first week of the next month we use that revenue to pay our suppliers, and the next week we pay our rent, and the last two weeks we build up money to pay our staff again.

"The longer we stay open, the further we will increase our debt."

David said the Government's strategy has made it impossible to continue.

He said: "The restaurant was very quiet in the week and we were starting to feel it.

"Friday and Saturday were ok, but Sunday was the first day it really hit and it fell off a cliff on Tuesday and Wednesday, and on Thursday last night it was just absolutely dead.

"One of the first things the Prime Minister says is please stay out of bars pubs, and restaurants, but he wants them all to remain open.

"It doesn’t make any sense and he's not helping employees or their business owners by taking that approach and I really don’t understand that strategy."

David said his family put their life savings into the business and they were hoping it was going to be their future.

"Hopefully we will get through this and we can move forward," he said.

"My wife is pregnant and we have a 20 month old son who is now out of nursery."

David said he is hopeful that the business can reopen in the future.

"We hope to be able to claim for a grant and use this on staff, suppliers and being able to reopen and re-employ.

"The first year had been amazing.

"Like all new business it took a little while to establish and we’re not the usual gastro pub, we're very niche and I think South American cuisine is one of the rarest international cuisines in the UK market, so there's not many like us.

"And people have loved it and the people of Stroud have loved it, and we also had people coming from Cheltenham and Gloucester.