As the shock starts to wear off from the August 30 fire that tore through the restaurant kitchen and left smoke damage through the dining area, Leon and Jo Chin say they have been comforted by the support of their customers and the wider Tamworth community. 

With the jury still out on when the Dragon Palace will reopen, Mr Chin and his wife have been operating out of their South Tamworth Bowling Club Chinese Restaurant.

Within the next week they will also open the doors to a new restaurant at the Oxley Bowling Club.

Mr Chin told The Leader he hopes work on the damaged Peel St business could get underway in the near future and the business could reopen within three-months.

“We have gone through most of the procedures and paperwork for insurance and now it is going through the next phase for what they need to do,” he said.

“This month we should be able to get a clearer picture but at this stage the estimate is three-months.”

Mr Chin said the Oxley Bowling Club business could remain open pending numbers and he thanked his staff and customers for their ongoing support.

At this stage, it’s believed the fire was started by an electrical fault.

“We’ve spent 12 years here, obviously we put a lot of effort in and then this happened,” he said. “The shock is starting to settle down, the staff are starting to settle.

“They have been great, they have backed us up and given us whatever help we needed. But at the same time we have to look after our staff too.

“A lot of them have been with us for many, many years. Now with the two kitchens it will be more settled.

“We have had a lot of support, we appreciate it and thanks to everyone who stood behind us – we look forward to being back.”

Mr Chin said those who have been trying to contact the Dragon Palace are now able to do so through the regular number with phone diversions in place.