A newly opened restaurant in Oldham has been forced to close temporarily after just one day of trading due to overwhelming demand. Ruger Fjord, located on Hartshead Street in Lees, welcomed its first customers on Sunday, June 7, offering a menu of Michelin-style focaccia sandwiches. The establishment aims to combine Scandinavian simplicity with Italian craftsmanship, featuring house-made misos, small plates, cocktails, and upscale sandwiches.
Exceptional Demand Leads to Sellout
The restaurant completely sold out of its freshly baked focaccia bread within 90 minutes of opening. Owner Kieran O'Reilly, a former chef at Gaucho and MANA, described the response as 'unreal and crazy.' The team faced queues out the door and had to continue baking throughout the service to meet demand.
Temporary Closure for Sustainability
In a social media post, O'Reilly announced the closure, stating, 'This isn't sustainable. We don't want to let anyone down.' The restaurant will be closed for a minimum of three days while the team secures additional ingredients and equipment, and meets with investors to scale operations sustainably. O'Reilly emphasized the need to maintain quality and customer service, saying, 'We don't want to get to a point where we're losing quality because we're doing more.'
Community Support
The announcement received widespread support from patrons and local business owners. One commented, 'Hats off to you for taking this decision. Customer service is priority.' Another added, 'Such a mature decision. You clearly have something special.' O'Reilly expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support and reiterated his commitment to contributing positively to the local community.
Vision Behind Ruger Fjord
O'Reilly previously shared his vision for the restaurant, aiming to bring 'happy foods' to Oldham with a fine-dining take on sandwiches. He stated, 'Hospitality is facing a difficult time, but people connect best when they see real passion. I'm not doing this to make loads of money—as long as we can pay ourselves and our staff and keep the lights on, that's all we need.'
The restaurant plans to reopen later this week with improved capacity and sustainability measures.
