Rola Wala, the fledgling Indian street food concept, has closed its site in Oxford Westgate just over six months after opening.
The brand, which is backed by the founders of Barworks, opened at the Westgate Social part of the scheme in November, alongside Junkyard Golf Club, Benito’s Hat, Neds Noodle Bar, Bonnie Gull’s Salt n Sauce, Comptoir’s Shawa and Tommi’s Burgher Joint.
MCA understands landlord Landsec is going to rent the unit out on a monthly basis to Oxford operators.
A post on Rola Wala’s Instagram said: “When things don’t go your way in life you have two choices - sit and sulk or get on with the job. For us today, its back to the business we love, doing what we love to do.
“We’re incredibly grateful that we get to do this as a job - and our mission is to ignite spaces everywhere with incredible Indian flavours is unchanged, we’re open as normal in London, Leeds, and Selfridges Birmingham.”
The £400m Westgate scheme has had a mixed reaction since it opened, with retail analysts suggesting it has had a disappointing start, but the center and local authorities insisting it is performing ahead of expectations.
It has had nine million visitors in the first six months of opening, and is reported to be on course to surpass the expected annual figure of up to 15 million visitors.
Rola Wala is led by Mark Wright and Danny Vilela, and co-founded by Mark Christophers, who also co-founded West Cornwall Pasty Co.
Wright has previously told MCA of his desire to open 40 sites, with a focus on grab and go formats in shopping centres and travel hubs.
