Winsted Diner to reopen — for a day

WINSTED — The Winsted Diner, which closed in late February after 80 years in business, will reopen for one day to satisfy the town’s zoning codes.According to Economic Development Commission Chairman Bill Pratt, when a business shuts down for six months or more, the town’s zoning regulations require a new site plan to be filed for the building.“Creating a site plan for a building and reapplication to the town for zoning approval comes at an extraordinary cost,” Pratt said. “The commission recommended to [current Winsted Diner owner Jean Bauer] that she reopen for one more day so she could avoid all of this.”Bauer said she has until the end of February to open the diner one more time.“I’m not sure when it will be open, but I do not want to cut it too close,” Bauer said.She said that there have been several parties interested in purchasing the diner.“But I have not heard anything from anyone in a few weeks,” she said. “I would love to open the diner again, but right now I am working to clear up debt. I do not want to reopen the diner under circumstances so financially tight.”Bauer said that the diner’s financial dire straits spiraled out of control for her.“Over time, the situation kept getting worse and worse,” she said. “If I could get it to a point where I could reopen it again, I would.”Before Bauer purchased the diner, Bob Radocchio owned it for more than 33 years.

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