Royal Phoenix in Oswaldtwistle reopens after crash

The owner of Royal Phoenix restaurant in Union Road is now calling for the council to make the road safer as this is not the first time a vehicle has crashed into the building.

The Cantonese restaurant reopened on October 8 after being closed since August 13, when the crash took place.

Royal Phoenix in Oswaldtwistle reopens after crash (Image: San Tse) Pictures and videos show extensive damage to the front and interior of the property after a vehicle crashed into the front of the site.

San Tse, who has run the restaurant for 10 years, said: “It caused tremendous damage.

"Metal railings on the pavement were crushed upon collision. The car also went through the front of the building, through the furniture and into the bar."

San said the team has spent around £26,000 on renovations so far and this figure does not include the loss of income while the restaurant was closed.

The car which crashed into the Royal Phoenix (Image: San Tse) She said: “We had to close and have not traded at all since August 13. This had a massive impact on us because we have had no income at all.

"We have been thinking about customer retention all the time and if they will disappear and go somewhere else.

“We’ve had zero income and had to pay the renovations out of our own pocket which has left quite a financial hole.

"We hope we will be able to make it back and it’s a priority for us to improve and focus on our business.

“We have lost a lot of money over this time and have had to borrow a tremendous amount of money to get to this point.”

San said this is not the first time a car has crashed into the building, with the last major incident in 2011 when a car crashed into the building before fleeing the scene.

San said there have also been minor ‘near miss’ crashes on the road.

The front of the Royal Phoenix, after a car crashed into it in 2011 (Image: NQ)

She said: “We’ve had [other] cars through the building itself and countless accidents outside the building.

"Other cars have lost control and hit the bollards and railing outside.

“I’ve lost count of how many crashes there have been; it’s a ridiculous little roundabout… I think we need more than just a roundabout there.

“It makes me feel unsafe. Customers have been asking if anything will happen again soon as no changes have been made to the road.”

She is calling for the council to replace the railings outside the restaurants and also make changes to the surrounding roads amid safety concerns.

She said: “When the accident happened, the railings were crushed onto the pavement meaning pedestrians had to walk on the road in order to go around and continue their walk.

“I have been on the phone to the council about the metal railings so many times because they haven’t finished replacing the metal railings outside.

“Customers have complained and asked if anything is going to be done about it as there is a gap right at the front door. It’s been two months!

“We’ve also been having issues with a blocked drain there. When it rains it is like a river outside the door."

San said the business has been flooded with support over the last few months.

“We have been inundated with support from customers,” San said. “Customers have been so kind and have been leaving messages, offering to help in any way. The community has been more than supportive.

“They have been very loyal to us and waiting for us to open our doors. We feel really blessed.”

Lancashire County Council has been approached for comment.