MARK and Maddy Coles are bidding farewell to Coles Bar and Restaurant this week as they close the doors for the final time.

The couple have decided that after almost two decades of serving delicious dishes, including their signature fish cakes and quality meat sourced from Smithfield Market, the time has come for them to bow out and the Kingsbury Street business in Marlborough will close this Friday.

“It has taken us by surprise how dear this restaurant is to so many people,” said Maddy, 60, who is overwhelmed by the response from customers.

“We have done weddings, christenings and birthdays, some met their future wives here.”

The eatery started life as a pub, most notably The Cricketers, before the couple began a labour of love to transform it into the renowned restaurant with an enviable reputation for its food and service.

But Maddy recalls how when they first got the keys to the building they were greeted with the smell of old ash, stale beer and mouldy food.

The walls were also stained yellow from nicotine and paint was splashed everywhere by the disgruntled former tenant, but it was not enough to deter the couple who live in a village near Marlborough.

“Even with it looking so disgusting it had character – it has always felt right,” said Maddy, whose father opened the first Slug and Lettuce restaurant with Hugh Corbett.

It was all hands on deck from then and on their opening night customers come flooding through the door, despite the furniture having not even arrived.

“The first people walking in were having to bring their own chairs from the delivery lorry outside and we were packed out from that day to this,” Maddy added.

In particular the restaurant was a hit with some of the men of Marlborough with the glamorous staff.

Describing one particular waitress, Maddy said: “Marlborough didn’t know what had hit it.

“She wore the tiniest little skirt, bare midriff, little mules and she had the most amazing long dark hair and so from day one all the men of Marlborough were just coming to be served.”

The couple, who are parents to Lily, 29, Dora, 27, and Kitty, 24, have had some difficulties with the business, such as the lack of parking around Kingsbury Street.

They appealed to the town council to pave over a small section of the Common for residents and customers but their pleas went unnoticed.

They also tried to sell the business without success two years ago and have now secured planning permission to convert the building into two houses.

Meanwhile this weekend they are auctioning off the restaurant’s furniture for The Wooden Spoon charity which funds sports equipment in the town and surrounding area.

Maddy and Mark have also been paying tribute to their loyal staff, including chef and manager Dan Bond, 42, who has worked there for 17 years.

“It is a tough business, which is partly why we haven’t been able to find anyone to take it on from us,” added Maddy.

But they are leaving knowing they played a huge role in the community and in making many memories for people.

There is also one visitor to the restaurant Maddy will never forget.

“I remember before we opened it was a really hot day and I was upstairs knocking down a partition wall and I heard a voice coming through the door,” she said.

“This guy came up and he didn’t have a shirt on, he was obviously a publican himself, and he says ‘Are you the next publican?’ I said ‘My husband and I are’ and he replied ‘Oh you're married? Well you realise it will be your marriage or your business, both of them won’t survive.’

“I have thought of him often and if he came back tomorrow I would be able to say he was wrong.”