Staff learned Friday afternoon they will soon be out of a job as The Boathouse restaurant in Horseshoe Bay will be permanently closing on Nov. 30.
Open since 1987, albeit with several different owners, The Boathouse is situated on the water at Sewell’s Landing just east of the BC Ferries terminal.
For the last thirty years, it’s been a West Vancouver establishment and one of the few waterfront patios in the district.
The land has been owned by the Sewell family since the 1930s, with the original building once home to eateries like The Lodge Restaurant and Sewell’s Restaurant. It turned into The Keg Boathouse in the late 1980s, and was acquired by The Boathouse chain several years ago.
Mike Miller, regional manager for The Boathouse chain of restaurants, which includes six other locations across Metro Vancouver, told Global News the closure is due to the upcoming condo development on Sewell’s Landing.
The project, developed by Sewell’s Marina and Westbank, was passed by West Vancouver city council on Sept. 19, 2016. It will feature six buildings with 159 housing units and will be built on the mostly-vacant land surrounding The Boathouse restaurant and the marina.
In the plans submitted to council, the developers touted on numerous occasions how the existing restaurant would be complemented by the project.
Asked whether patrons can expect the restaurant to return after construction is completed in around three years, Miller was unsure.
“I couldn’t tell you, it’s up to the landlord.”
Sewell’s Marina, the landlord, did not respond to a call for comment.