Garden Square, a popular restaurant in Nairobi CBD has closed down.
The establishment which was known for hosting fundraiser and funeral gatherings is closing down after 50 years, as per The Nairobian.
According to the publication, the restaurant is currently undergoing renovations.
Additionally, reliable sources have claimed that the owner of the business, Armstrong Kasuku, has either leased or sold the property to someone else.
Kasuku who has been running the establishment since the 1970s is reportedly considering retirement and thus leading to the indefinite closure of the business.
A prominent entrepreneur from the Mt Kenya region is said to have taken over.
According to an article on Nairobi News, welders were spotted working on sections of the restaurant that were demolished.
The developer secured a lease to run business in the facility and is planning to set up a modern joint.
“A new developer has taken over the whole place which means there is a new management in the offing,” the source said.
A former employee of the restaurant cited among other challenges declining business and returns as the reason behind the new development.
Other than serving as a meeting place, the restaurant was also a hub for music artists since it’s establishment to the 1990s.
Musicians who have performed at Garden Square include Samba Mapangala, Moreno Batamba and the LesWanyika group among others.
On the other hand, the ownership of the land on which the building stands has been a contentious issue.
Kasuku claimed the late retired president Daniel arap Moi allocated him the land in the 1990s while serving as KANU chairman.