Staff at The Hut, Little Jumby, Antigua, were informed on Monday morning that their positions had been made redundant, effectively closing the beachside restaurant less than a year after its highly publicised launch. The business has not commented on plans to reopen in the near future.
The business, which opened in November 2024 and once employed nearly 100 workers at its peak, was presented as a Caribbean counterpart to the UK’s popular Hut brand. It promised guests a day-long culinary and leisure experience on Maiden Island, rebranded “Little Jumby.”
Employees told Antigua Newsroom they were notified of the closure without prior warning. A company representative said someone from management would provide further comment.
The Hut, Little Jumby, had marketed itself as both accessible to locals and tourists, with ferry and private boat access, and as a venue committed to sustainability and community engagement.
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Find another job. The nation has full employment.
What a shocker. This must really be hard for employees.
I’m sorry to hear.
So what does the workers do from here? Were they given any sort of payment?
No warning or anything? I mean yeah the whole island usually close and reopens but still, no warning so they could get a next job?
Welp. Antiguanewsroom is accustomed to making news, make the people feel bad and we see changes! Let’s see what comes out of this story here.
That’s wild boii! Now these people are left without a job at month end? Critical
Just another in ongoing cycle of “the so called investors coming here fulling their pockets and then packing up and leaving with the profits from this land”. A very vicious and enslaving cycle that has gone on for decades and yet still those in authority help to continue the cycle.
@Wolley
You believe that they made money in the eight months that they’ve been in business? Do you know how much it cost to open that restaurant? Have you ever operated a business?
Do you know how much it would cost to pay 100 workers weekly?
Just questions as you seem to ascribe to a thinking that everyone comes to enslave us. Boy, oh boyyy
Hold on.. I dont like it but be real.. staff can resign with immediate effect. Correct? Staff go on vacation and dont return? Is that fair to the employer?
The Hut at little Jumby was a rather exclusive and expensive restaurant. The price for a dinner ranged from US$115 to US$225 per person. The population of Antigua is small and the number of people who dine out for a nice culinary experience is even smaller. All things being equal, it would be very difficult for that restaurant to survive in the present circumstances. I am therefore not surprised about the closure.
Thank you Dave Ray for correcting Wolley’s uneducated and inaccurate statement. Sadly this mindset seems to be ingrained in many. Stop whining and do something
This shows poor planning from management. People’s livelihoods are at stake
This story in present tense it in past tense I well confuses. I don’t know what calendar ah you ah follow but September just start.
So we’re they given letters in August?
Well if they don’t make you all redundant they would be obligated to pay you all while they closed. They are smart people
So just like that? Oh waw
Management knew the risks of opening in this market. To shut down so quickly and leave staff in limbo shows poor planning and even poorer regard for the livelihoods of their employees
This isn’t just a business closing nuh….it’s dozens of families suddenly without income. A luxury restaurant should at least have the decency to ensure a proper transition or severance package
Saw this story on another news portal and I was wondering how crazy. I knew they said that they will be opening back for a new season. So I’m wondering what they meant by no future plans of reopening. Anyway, I fine this was wrong to do and I will be waiting for an update from you guys. I’ve heard of the firing but I didn’t know it was deeper than that. We’ve had to much of this happening and I hope you guys can do a video story on this. Cause we are suffering with these overseas chain of hotels
Find another job. The nation has full employment.
What a shocker. This must really be hard for employees. I’m sorry to hear.
You believe that they made money in the eight months that they’ve been in business? Do you know how much it cost to open that restaurant? Have you ever operated a business? Do you know how much it would cost to pay 100 workers weekly? Just questions as you seem to ascribe to a thinking that everyone comes to enslave us. Boy, oh boyyy
Just another in ongoing cycle of “the so called investors coming here fulling their pockets and then packing up and leaving with the profits from this land”. A very vicious and enslaving cycle that has gone on for decades and yet still those in authority help to continue the cycle.
So what does the workers do from here? Were they given any sort of payment?
No warning or anything? I mean yeah the whole island usually close and reopens but still, no warning so they could get a next job?
It was always refreshing to see a place open to everyone, even if positioned at the higher end of the market—still far more reasonable than Nobu on Barbuda, and quite comparable to the Roc Group in Antigua. With time, it could have become one of the region’s standout offshore experiences. I had understood it would reopen after the summer break, and I still hope that’s the case. The staffing situation looks more like poor planning than necessity—Antigua isn’t suited to “pop-up” style management, and families depend on these jobs. Hopefully the business reopens stronger and more consistent, for the benefit of both clients and staff.
@Tabor
The exclusive restaurant is not for the majority, it’s for the one percenters the business model is on point. Surely they would have turned a profit in their first season. This business model is not dependant on the majority. There is super profits in selling processed food and drinks.
Obviously management was not pleased with the performance of the majority. To solve the problem terminate all and rehire the selected few.
Expect the other workers to be brought in. And the labour minister Cutie Benjamin will be happy to sign all those work permits Luke he dud for Royalton.
Indian summer restaurant
English harbor
Antigua would be hiring kindly get in touch
❤️👏🏽
Who owns the island??? This sudden, cold, contemptuous move by the investors is a mere flexing of the muscles, a indication/warning to John Public of their true vulnerability in this mad push to sell land – our birthright – to foreign white investors under the caption of attracting direct foreign investment through tourism! Sons a d daughters of the soil, TAKE NOTE! READY YOURSELVES FOR COUNTERACTION…….
It was always refreshing to see a place open to everyone, even if positioned at the higher end of the market, still far more reasonable than Nobu on Barbuda, and quite comparable to the Roc Group in Antigua. With time, it could have become one of the region’s standout offshore experiences. I had understood it would reopen after the summer break, and I still hope that’s the case. The staffing situation looks more like poor planning than necessity, Antigua isn’t suited to “pop-up” style management, and families depend on these jobs. Hopefully the business reopens stronger and more consistent, for the benefit of both clients and staff.
It’s easier to find a worker than for a worker to find a job. Yeah people resign that doesn’t actually affect the company but immediate termination, people has bills to pay aswell
Hold on, I don’t like it but be real. staff can resign with immediate effect. Correct? Staff go on vacation and don’t return? Is that fair to the employer?
The exclusive restaurant is not for the majority, it’s for the one percenters, the business model is on point. Surely they would have turned a profit in their first season. This business model is not dependant on the majority. There is super profits in selling processed food and drinks.
Obviously management was not pleased with the performance of the majority. To solve the problem terminate all and rehire the selected few.
Expect the other workers to be brought in. And the labour minister Cutie Benjamin will be happy to sign all those work permits like he did for Royalton.
The Hut at little Jumby was a rather exclusive and expensive restaurant. The price for a dinner ranged from US$115 to US$225 per person. The population of Antigua is small and the number of people who dine out for a nice culinary experience is even smaller. All things being equal, it would be very difficult for that restaurant to survive in the present circumstances. I am therefore not surprised about the closure.
Let me see if I got this straight.. so the owners fired their workers so they wouldn’t have to pay them while the business is closed for the two months period? And no guarantee of being rehired? That is diabolical. So how do these people take care of their families in the mean time? This is utter nonsense!!! Which ministry needs to step in here because this is not right.
ANR you remain a leader in news in Antigua and Barbuda.
Who owns the island??? This sudden, cold, contemptuous move by the investors is a mere flexing of the muscles, a indication/warning to John Public of their true vulnerability in this mad push to sell land, our birthright, to foreign white investors under the caption of attracting direct foreign investment through tourism! Sons a d daughters of the soil, TAKE NOTE! READY YOURSELVES FOR COUNTERACTION
Antigua really has some uneducated dummies. Maybe if many of you in the comments were more worldly and educated you wouldn’t make so many idiotic, embarrassing comments especially when it comes to race. Find something to actually argue about that makes sense but you are so small minded that race is the only argument you ever have.
@ Dr. Dave Ray,
Restaurant as a business category that has traditionally the highest failure rate.
Nobu restaurant on Barbuda is still going strong and has improved yearly.
Soho House as a corporation after going public its stock tanked.
The “Do you know questions” should be directed at the operators and the government.
The sudden closing raises a lot of questions not just for the workers, but other entities that has been doing business with this restaurant business who may be left with unpaid invoices.
As a former business owner or a DOB, you certainly know what it is not to be paid by customers.
Raise the discourse. There are so many issues. What due diligence does the government conduct on businesses such as this?
What is the expected outcome? Is this business a failure, or it making this move to rebrand?
In a small country where the leadership claims to be business savvy; with this level staff cut the Government should have been all over this and informing the public.
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