Pressing Pause: Health, Reflection, and What’s Next for The Warren

As we step into the very last week before The Warren goes into hibernation, I’ve been feeling a mixture of gratitude, relief, and excitement. The past few weeks have been nothing short of incredible, so many of you have come through the doors, shared your memories, and offered support. It’s reminded me how much this restaurant has meant to the community, and to me personally.

Making the decision to pause has honestly been one of the best things I’ve done for myself in a long time. For years I’ve lived with the mindset that The Warren comes first and everything else is second. But if the past few years have taught me anything, it’s that we have nothing without our health. It is the foundation that everything else rests on, our dreams, ambitions, experiences, relationships, and passions.

Looking ahead, I know that when I reimagine The Warren in the future, I need to do so from a place where my health, physical and mental, comes first. For me, this means keeping up regular exercise through cycling, being more mindful about what I eat and drink, making space to pause and rest, spending time with the people I love, and prioritising sleep. That last one, sleep, has been the biggest game-changer of all.

A Celebration Before the Pause

Next Wednesday I’ll be hosting a party at The Warren for anyone who wants to join us. It will be a celebration of everything this place has been so far, and of the incredible community that has grown around it. It’s not goodbye, but rather a chance to mark this moment together before we close the doors for a while.

What’s Next for Me

Of course, stepping back from the restaurant doesn’t mean I’ll be standing still. I’ll be heading up to Tŷ Newydd, the National Writing Centre of Wales, to finally take some time to begin working on something I’ve dreamed of for years, writing my first book. I’ll also be taking part in the Fishguard Food Festival on Saturday 11th October, where I’ll be doing a cookery demo before joining a panel on “Cultivating & Nourishing Our Community from Plot to Plate.”

Reflection

This pause is about much more than rest. It’s about perspective. We only get one chance (that we know of) at this beautiful gift of life, and it’s worth taking the time to appreciate it fully. That means reconnecting with ourselves, with each other, and with the natural world that sustains us.

Thank you for being part of this journey so far. Whether you’ve eaten here once or a hundred times, whether you’ve supported us quietly in the background or shouted about us from the rooftops, it means the world.

I look forward to celebrating with many of you next week, and I’m excited for what’s to come in the months ahead.

With gratitude,

Deri Reed

 if you’d like to stay up to date with future news, events, and plans, make sure to sign up to our newsletter.