THE owner of a popular Asian restaurant which closed suddenly on Monday has blamed the district council for pricing him out of the town.

The shutters have come down on Fusionbar-one just 11 months after the award-winning bar and restaurant opened on St Peter's Road – and with it will go 20 jobs.

The pan-Asian restaurant was voted the town's best by Life in Petersfield readers and organisers of the food and drink festival.

But bosses decided to call last orders at the weekend after buckling under the weight of hefty business rates and licensing restrictions.

For full story, see this week's Petersfield Herald.