The Mooring

Newport Restaurant Group (NRG) today announced the launch of a relief fund to provide aid to the fully employee-owned hospitality company’s more than 700 employees.

Newport Restaurant Group, which is 100% employee-owned, includes a portfolio of restaurants that include Castle Hill Inn, The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, Bar ‘Cino, and Smoke House all located in Newport; Trio of Narragansett; the Boat House in Tiverton; Waterman Grille and Hemenway’s, both located in Providence; Avvio Ristorante located at Garden City Center in Cranston; Iron Works in Warwick; Papa Razzi with two locations in the greater Boston area; and Bar ‘Cino in Brookline, MA.

Starting today, NRG will donate 100% of the proceeds of all gift cards purchased to the fund until it reaches $100,000.  Funds will then be distributed via grocery gift cards to employees. As a thank you, each gift card purchaser will be entered into a raffle to win a weekend getaway to Castle Hill Inn*.

“We are certainly living in trying and unprecedented times,” said Paul O’Reilly, CEO, Newport Restaurant Group in a press release. “As a 100% employee-owned company, it has been especially heartbreaking to temporarily close our restaurants. But, we are blessed to have the support of our incredible guests, who have been asking what they can do to help. Participation in this gift card program is a great way to rally around our employees, and give our customers something to look forward to once this crisis has passed.”

Gift cards can be purchased at www.newportrestaurantgroup.com/purchase-gift-cards. Due to the current workplace restrictions mandated by the state of Rhode Island, purchasers should allow for extra processing time for gift card orders. 

*Raffle winner will be notified on or before May 15, 2020 and will be posted on NRG’s social media accounts. The Castle Hill Inn prize is a two-night weekend stay in a beach cottage, excluding July & August and holiday weekends, expiring May 15, 2021. 

For more information please visit www.newportrestaurantgroup.com.   

Ryan Belmore

Ryan Belmore is the Owner and Publisher of What'sUpNewp.  He has been involved with What’sUpNewp since shortly after its launch in 2012, proudly leading it to be named Best Local News Blog in Rhode Island by Rhode Island Monthly readers in 2018, 2019, and 2020 and an honorable mention in the Common Good Awards in 2021.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Potter League For Animals. He previously served on the boards of Fort Adams Trust, Lucy's Hearth, and the Arts & Cultural Alliance for Newport County.

In 2020, he was named Member of the Year by LION and won the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County's Dominque Award.

He is a member of Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the North American Snowsports Journalists Association.

Born and raised in Rhode Island, he spent 39 years living in Rhode Island before recently moving to Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife and two rescue dogs. He still considers Rhode Island home, and visits at least once a month.