Elliott Wright has told the Daily Mail why he’s really selling his €7.5m Spanish restaurant and returning to the UK.
Despite undergoing an entire rebrand earlier this year and recovering the building from a devastating arson attack four years ago, Elliott is taking restaurant and entertainment spot Olivia’s La Cala to auction, with bids starting at €7.5million (£6.5million).
The venue, which has been a reality star hotspot for some time, has gone through its fair share of troubles, with the establishment being attacked by graffiti vandals shortly after a bouncer was killed there two years ago.
The former TOWIE star, 45, has now opened up about the difficulties of running a business, but ultimately said, ‘the good times outweighed the bad’.
He explained: ‘Businesses are hard to run; it is not easy. It looks glamorous, but a lot of work goes into it. You are working day and night. Every business has difficulties.
‘You go through times in your personal life and in business where times are tough, but you have to take the rough with the smooth. If you want smooth sailing, then don’t own your own business.
Elliott Wright has told Daily Mail why he’s really selling his €7.5m Spanish restaurant and returning to the UK, as he admitted he has experienced ‘difficulties’
The former TOWIE star, 45, (pictured with wife Sadie) has now opened up about the difficulties of running a business, but ultimately said, ‘the good times outweighed the bad’
‘All businesses have times of hardship and times that are good, but you bounce back from those things, and we’ve always bounced back.
‘Olivia’s is a party restaurant. It’s a fun place to be. You can’t sit there and ponder on what’s going on in the past. You do have bad times, but the good times outweigh the bad. And with Olivia’s, it massively outweighs it.
‘None of that has really played a part in it. Whatever business you’re going to go into, you’re gonna go through it. It’s part and parcel of being a business owner.’
Elliott confirmed the news that he is selling the hotspot after a decade so that he can be near his older children, Elliott Jr, 18, and Olivia, 16, who he revealed did not want to carry on the restaurant’s legacy despite his wishes.
The restaurateur has been married to Sadie Wright since 2017, and they share three children: Billy, six, John, two, and Dolly, three months.
He explained: ‘I’m basically basing myself out in Spain for a lifestyle choice over there that the children don’t wanna be a part of. And I don’t want to split my kids up.
‘Everyone has dreams, and fundamentally, I thought that they’d come over and take over, so that I could step back and watch them flourish and show them how to do it.
‘I would have liked to have shown my kids how to be successful at it, but you can’t force your dreams onto your children. It was a lovely dream, but a pipe dream, and it wasn’t one that they wanted to do.
He revealed he is returning to the UK to be with family. He is father to Olivia, 16, (left) and Elliott Jr, 18, (right) from a previous relationship and shares three kids with wife Sadie
Olivia’s has been a reality star hotspot for some time, with Elliott’s pal and former TOWIE co-star James ‘Arg’ Argent (pictured with Love Island star Amy Hart in 2023) holding residencies
Pop star Jessie J was also a fan of the venue (pictured with Elliott and Sadie in 2019)
‘There’s no sad feelings at all about it. I’m very content, and I’m going to be closer to my children. The most important thing for me is spending time with the kids.’
Elliott added that he plans on still owning property and has business opportunities in the UK that he is excited to explore.
The sale will include the freehold beachfront property, the trading business, and the Olivia’s La Cala brand and trademark. Bidding is scheduled to open December 5.
Olivia’s has been a reality star hotspot for some time, with Elliott’s pal and former TOWIE co-star James ‘Arg’ Argent holding residencies.
In 2021, Olivia’s was victim to an arson attack, after which Elliott condemned the ‘scumbag’ responsible for the blaze which gutted the Costa del Sol restaurant.
At the time, in a video uploaded online, the devastated star walked around his restaurant, which has been completely destroyed by the fire, before pledging that he would have it reopened.
He said: ‘So probably one of my worst videos I’ve ever made. My beautiful restaurant, my dream that I always dreamt of having, that I built six years ago, that was still work in progress, has been completely destroyed, absolutely destroyed…
‘Devastated. And I can say now that it is arson. Someone’s come and took my whole dream away, for whatever reason I’ll never know, because I don’t have any enemies as far as I’m aware, I didn’t think I did..
‘Whether it’s jealousy or competition, it doesn’t really matter.’
The plan to be closer to family comes in the wake of a slew of tragedies, including suffering a miscarriage, Olivia’s’ arson attack and losing his dad to Coronavirus.
Sadie and Elliott tied the knot in 2017 and welcomed their first son together in 2019
Eliott and Sadie welcomed daughter Dolly in August this year
He lost his father Edward Wright in March 2021, who died at the age of 66 following an eight-week battle with Covid.
Elliott shared the news on Instagram and wrote: ‘It is with heart wrenching regret, that I have to post this post.
‘My father Edward George Wright passed away peacefully with his family by his side on the 02.03.2021 after bravely fighting Covid for 8 weeks…
‘For those who knew my father, you know what a great man he was, always smiling, always humble, always happy, despite the fact in his later years he bravely fought prostate cancer…
‘To Dad, what can I say that you don’t already know in heaven, you are and will always be my rock, my best friend, the man who taught me to always be a gentleman, to put family first!’
