Family behind Sunderland's much-loved Fountain Garden takeaway say goodbye after 30 years

A much loved Chinese takeaway is changing hands after 30 years of family ownership in High Barnes.

The Ng family took over the Fountain Garden, on the corner of Queen's Crescent and Chatsworth Street, in 1993. It was already an established business, but the Ngs took it from strength to strength.

It was run by Peng Ng and her husband George, who passed away aged 61 in 2018.

George had previously run the Lotus Garden restaurant on High Street West in the city centre, with his brother Danny and their father Jimmy Ng until 1992.

Before the High Barnes takeaway became the Fountain Garden, the shop was run by Peng's sister Lynne Wong and her daughter Susan Wong. It was called Bak Hap in those days. The Echo understands that before that it was Ord's fish and chips, which some readers might remember.

Since George passed away, the business has been run by his widow Peng, their daughter Julie Ng, 37 and son Nigel, 31.

Peng, now 64, is retiring, which has led to the takeaway's change of ownership. She has been using her culinary skills to great effect in the family business since the Lotus Garden days of the 1980s; all the way up to now.

Nigel says the family is sad to leave Queen's Crescent, but says the business will still be in good hands. The new owner is Ivan Weng, an experienced chef who over the past 20 years has worked in restaurants in the Chinatowns of London and Newcastle.

Nigel told the Echo: "We want to tell our loyal customers from across Sunderland, from the past 30 years, that we thank them all for the support throughout the years.

"We're saying goodbye and sending our love, but we're still here to help out the new owners throughout the festive period. So we'll still see some customers before we leave.

"We hope our customers will support the new owners of the Fountain Garden the way they supported us. We're leaving the place in good hands.

"We're going to take a short break as a family. Then we'll see if there's another new food business in the future."