Siblings say Sunderland has welcomed their Filipino restaurant Balér with open arms

Bill, Charmain and John Arrojo opened Balér, a Filipino restaurant on Fawcett Street in Sunderland city centre, in August. They say opening week was almost fully booked and that they have started getting regular customers who praise the atmosphere, particularly the live music.

Three siblings who opened a Filipino restaurant in Sunderland city centre in August say the city has welcomed them warmly, the Sunderland Echo reported on 3 November. Bill, Charmain and John Arrojo run Balér, which occupies the former Vestry on Fawcett Street. Bdaily, which reported the story on 2 November, said the siblings transformed a former pub into the restaurant, fulfilling a long-held ambition to launch their own hospitality business.

What is on the menu

According to the Sunderland Echo, Balér serves Filipino staples such as grilled chicken and pork belly, ribeye steak and grilled seabass, along with ube cheesecake, ice cream and lattes. The name, which translates to 'home' in several regional Filipino dialects, was chosen to reflect the homely feel the siblings wanted for the venue.

Live acoustic acts perform on some nights. The Sunderland Echo said this was inspired by the siblings' ancestral homeland, where it is common for restaurants to have live bands playing while guests dine.

"We are thrilled with how Balér has been received so far. Especially, during our opening week where almost every night we were jam-packed." — John Arrojo, quoted by the Sunderland Echo and Bdaily

John told the Sunderland Echo that the restaurant has started getting regular customers who praise the atmosphere, particularly the live music. "We feel as though we've really been welcomed with open arms and are delighted to have brought the cosy, welcoming vibe of the traditional Filipino home to Sunderland," he said.

How the idea started

The siblings come from a family with a history in hospitality, the Sunderland Echo reported. Charmain has several years of experience managing restaurants in Newcastle, and John has worked at Seaham Hall's Ozone and Aperitif and lectured at Newcastle College.

Bill told the paper that he and John were chatting in a coffee shop in Pallion about how popular Sunderland was becoming as a place to eat and drink. "We'd tried most of the new spots, including the new Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean restaurants, and said it's about time we had a Filipino restaurant," he said.

Start-up support

With no prior experience of setting up a business, the siblings sought advice from the North East BIC and were given a dedicated business adviser, Kelly Marshall. "When we were getting started, we underestimated just how much paperwork and everything needed to be done, so we approached the BIC for support," Charmain said. The support came through Enterprising Sunderland, a programme delivered with Sunderland City Council. According to both outlets, it was originally backed by the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund and has secured further funding from the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority to continue until December 2026.

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