A well-known food truck in Sutton Coldfield town centre has closed permanently, highlighting the difficulties faced by local businesses. The ‘Hooman’ takeaway was launched by Hong Kong entrepreneurs Li Anderson and Elaine Wan in May 2023. Named after a Japanese Akita dog, Elaine’s pet, the striking red truck operated from Sutton’s Parade.
The new owners took over from Martin Connolly, who had run the previous enterprise, the ‘Red Wagon’, for an impressive 30 years. The ‘Hooman’ menu featured jacket potatoes and sandwiches with a Far Eastern influence, including Hong Kong-style sandwiches described as crunchy on the outside and soft inside, filled with hot pork and chicken. They also served popular items such as bubble tea and cakes.
Mr Anderson, who arrived in the UK in August 2022 after working in Hong Kong’s anti-corruption department, and Ms Wan, had hoped to bring a unique offer to the town.
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The closure of the food truck was announced via the business’s Facebook page, where the owners reflected on their journey and pointed to the broader challenges faced by Sutton Coldfield’s town centre retailers. Recent months have seen other closures and relocations, including the departure of ‘I Am Yogi’ from the High Street, the permanent closure of ‘Mini Me’, and Aldi’s decision to shut its Parade store in favour of a larger one on Brassington Avenue.
The owners stated: “Thank you Sutton Coldfield. It’s time to say goodbye. We first opened our doors in May 2023. A new place, a new beginning, a new challenge. Since then Sutton Coldfield has been so much more than just a place where we ran a business.
“We’ve met so many wonderful people, made great memories and felt your amazing support every step of the way. Today, we’re closing this chapter and moving on.”
They continued: “We leave with a heart full of gratitude and our very best wishes for the Sutton Coldfield community. We truly hope, that in the future there will be a better environment for local businesses to grow, thrive and have another go.
“Thank you to everyone who supported us, visited us, recommended us, shared our posts or simply stopped by for a chat. You meant the world to us. Not goodbye forever, just goodbye for now.”
The closure serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by independent businesses in Sutton Coldfield’s town centre.