THE owners of a North Berwick Indian restaurant have told of their “extremely hard decision” to quit the town after 12 years’ trading.

Tiger Coast, on High Street, will close on Sunday and is set to be transformed, following a refurbishment, by Graham Langley and Liz Norbury into a bistro and wine bar called The Puffin.

A note has been placed on the restaurant’s window thanking customers. It says “personal and family commitments” have made it “no longer a viable option. . . to physically operate the restaurant”.

Mohammad Zamal, whose dad Mostafa set up the restaurant in 2005, told the Courier: “It has not been an easy decision to make.

“It was definitely with a heavy heart but after discussing it with the family we felt it was the right decision.”

Mr Zamal, 36, added: “It can be quite seasonal – it is busy during the summer but not so much during the winter and we’ve relied on locals.

“They have kept us going and I really do thank them from the bottom of my heart.”

Mr Zamal said the family would remain connected with the town once the restaurant was closed.

“It has been a big part of our lives so we’re going to keep the flat above the restaurant,” the dad-of-two said.

Mr Langley and Ms Norbury are due to take up the ground-floor lease next week, with the premises set for a full refurbishment in the new year, subject to planning consent.