A Caribbean takeaway that opened less than a year ago appears to have closed. 

CrossKitchenn opened on Rodbourne Road in March 2023, bringing with it jerk chicken and a community-focused mission to help fight growing issues with knife crime in Swindon. 

Its owner, Odane Cross, had himself been the victim of knife crime and has lost close loved ones to stabbings and so was motivated to do what he could to take deadly weapons off the town's streets. 

After opening, he teamed up with anti-knife crime organisation Change Lives No To Knives which was set up by the family of Lee Turner, a Swindon man who was stabbed to death in 2021, by offering discounts in exchange for knives. 

But the restaurant appears to have been dormant for several months.

The takeaway used to be open in Swindon from Wednesday to Saturday at lunchtime and  during the evening.

The firm's Facebook page Crosskitchenn-Jerkcenter has not been active for a number of months with the last post being in November last year.

And photos of the place taken in February show that its reception area is full of bits of wood and other material. 

A Google search of the eatery also lists it as 'temporarily closed'. 

All of the cooking equipment appears to still be inside. 

Speaking to the Advertiser while getting ready for opening, owner Odane said: “I started Cross Kitchenn in 2019 with my dad because I didn’t like anyone else’s Caribbean food. 

“I cooked some food, gave it to my friends and it gradually got bigger and bigger."

“I’ve done a few trial runs in Swindon and the reaction from locals has been great."

When Cross Kitchenn did open, Odane offered people discounts of up to 75 per cent if they handed over a knife they may have been carrying. 

He added: "Making a difference to the local community is important to me, and I hope to be able to do that.”

The Advertiser has approached Mr Cross and Cross Kitchenn for comment, but has not had a response.