Chef mentored by Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing closes restaurant after struggling eight break-ins in area of a 12 months

A chef has shut his highly-rated restaurant after a series of break-ins which has seen the business burgled eight times in a year.

Lee Skeet – who trained under Gordon Ramsay and led the kitchen at London‘s Michelin-starred Hedone – opened Jackson’s in February 2023.

The oyster and seafood bar in Cardiff has received positive reviews with an average score of 4.6 stars after 53 Google ratings.

However, the 39-year-old said that since opening in 2023 he has been confronted by people armed with knives, had physical altercations with would-be thieves, and even an armed robbery on the premises.

In recent months, Mr Skeet felt the physical and emotional strain of the job had become ‘more than it was worth’ and has been forced to relocate his business.

He said: ‘In the last year we’ve been broken into eight times. I don’t know how much we’ve lost but it’s a substantial amount – we’ve had iPads stolen, money, alcohol.’

On Wednesday, Mr Skeet entered the premises to find another burglary had occurred, and around £6,000 worth of goods and cash had been stolen.

South Wales Police confirmed a 42-year-old man named Matthew Young was jailed for 20 weeks after he pleaded guilty to stealing a tip jar from Jackson’s in a burglary that took place on November 7 last year.

Lee Skeet – who trained under Gordon Ramsay and led the kitchen at London’s Michelin-starred Hedone – has been forced to relocate his restaurant after being broken into eight times this year

He was identified using CCTV and facial recognition technology. But that did not spell an end to Jackson’s problems.

Mr Skeet said: ‘Our window was smashed in one of the break-ins and it was boarded up by the arcade.

‘Since that happened I’d been sleeping in Jackson’s to protect it. Then a few weeks later some burglars turned up in the early hours and saw there was a board up. They pulled at the board and climbed through the broken window.’

‘We’ve had armed robberies, people armed with knives, and we’ve had to tackle them,’ he said.

‘I’ve caught five robbers over the last year when I’ve been inside while they’ve broken in. There have been times when I’ve been sleeping in there and I’ve woken up to see people in there with me.’

‘I’m taking a step back from Jackson’s and my business partner is going to relocate it elsewhere in Cardiff where hopefully there will be less crime,’ said Mr Skeet. 

He said the decision will allow him to focus on his fight against a serious health issue and to spend more time with his family. But he also said it was linked to the spate of crimes against the restaurant.

The restaurant located in Duke Street Arcade in Cardiff also houses Cora another of Mr Skeets’ restaurants which has been featured in the Michelin Guide.

Mr Skeet’s restaurant ‘Jacksons’ located in Duke Street Arcade in Cardiff

Cora’s will continue trading as normal for the foreseeable future. His business partner’s relocation of Jackson’s to another site in Cardiff ‘might take a couple of months’, Mr Skeet added.

Mr Skeet said he felt like a security guard during Jackson’s final months at the arcade. ‘My job is not to catch criminals but I have caught a few this year,’ he said.

‘That is not what I want for my life. Honestly, there is so much crime in town it’s ridiculous.

‘In the arcade itself, there must have been 20 break-ins over the last year when you include all the traders around us. 

‘There is such a big drug problem in town and no one is doing anything about it. It’s out of control.’

He added: ‘I haven’t had a day off for two years while dealing with that and going to the doctor’s or the hospital every couple of days.

‘We’d come to the end of our second year of the lease so it was a chance to leave amicably.’

The landlord declined to comment on the situation. 

Mr Skeet said he felt like a security guard during his final months at the restaurant

South Wales Police officers are working with arcade management to ‘identify how security measures could be improved’. 

Inspector Adrian Snook said: ‘Unfortunately this particular business has been targeted a number of times over the past 12 months. 

‘We do understand how important small businesses such as this one are to the city centre and how devastating the impact of crime can be, especially for small business owners.’