Popular Co Antrim restaurant announces closure after 60 years serving ‘incredible community'
The Go Sun Chinese restaurant, an institution in Ballymena since 1966, will cease trading in July after nearly six decades of serving the town.
It was founded by the late Louis Sung and his wife Choi Lin who moved to Ballymena from Hong Kong in 1965.
Go Sun was seen as a pioneer of Chinese cuisine in the region.
The restaurant added a new cultural dimension to the local culinary scene which was dominated by European cuisine.
Over the decades, the restaurant was refurbished, but always remained a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike, serving generations of families and introducing many to Chinese cuisine for the very first time.
Louis and Choi Lin raised their family — Stanley, Susan, Suzie, Sophie and Stephen — within the Ballymena community, becoming a familiar and well-respected part of local life.
Beyond their restaurant business, the Sung family played an active role in the local and wider Chinese community.
Louis Sung was a key figure in organisations such as the Chinese Welfare Association, supporting fellow immigrants and championing cultural representation across Northern Ireland.
Following the passing of Louis Sung in September 2023, the family has continued to run the business with the same commitment to quality and community spirit.
On Wednesday evening, Louis' son Stanley announced the family's decision to close the restaurant next month.
In a heartfelt message to patrons, Stanley Sung said: 'After 60 wonderful years of proudly serving the incredible community, it is with a heartfelt bittersweet announcement that we are closing the Go Sun in four weeks' time.
'For over two generations of the Sung family, the people of Ballymena have accepted and welcomed us into their community.
'We have been privileged and blessed to have served our loyal customers and friends as they chose the Go Sun to celebrate many of life's milestones and to share their stories.
News Catch Up - Thursday 5 June
'We also want to thank our amazing staff who came and went over the years, working alongside the family throughout all the highs and the lows.
'As the doors of the Go Sun close and an era ends, we want to say a massive thank you to all the people who have made it possible, for the wonderful support and mostly for all the fantastic memories.'
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