Photo: The Rustic Tavern revitalizes the old bartop that was used at The Hideaway; photo provided by Nick Farley

What was supposed to be a summer of grand opening celebrations for The Rustic Tavern has instead stretched into months of waiting, paperwork, and mounting frustration for owner Puneet Ahluwalia and general manager Nick Farley.

The pair had hoped to open the long-anticipated restaurant at Hotel Lake Anna, which was formerly The Hideaway and before then Chelsea Jo’s, by early summer 2025. But five months later, the dining room remains closed—tied up in a web of permitting issues between the Spotsylvania County Health Department and the Building Department.

“I’ve already wasted the whole summer of not being open,” Ahluwalia said. “We have a head chef and su chef already hired. We did everything by the book. Whoever operated before us got away with things for years—but now we’re the ones paying for it.”

According to Ahluwalia, the Rustic Tavern team first submitted restaurant and hotel permit applications in June 2025, along with building and engineering drawings. The health department didn’t respond for 45 days, citing staffing shortages.

“When we initially sent the paperwork in, we didn’t hear back until July,” said Farley. “They told us they only had seven people for the whole county. Since then, it’s just been back and forth. They find one thing, then another. We’ve sent hard copies, spec sheets, everything they asked for—but it feels like we’re stuck in limbo.”

Ahluwalia estimates he has already invested more than $150,000 in renovations, new appliances, and staff hiring. “We’re trying to create jobs for locals,” he said. “We’re willing to do whatever it takes.”

In late September, Ahluwalia received a formal notice from Megan Webb, Environmental Health Supervisor for the Virginia Department of Health’s Rappahannock Area District. The letter outlined a key issue: the property’s 1984 septic permit was designed to serve a 12-room motel, a 50-seat restaurant, and a three-bedroom residence—all sharing one drainfield.

Today, the hotel has 27 rooms and two apartments. Webb’s letter stated that before any restaurant use could be approved, the owner must provide a wastewater characterization (WWC) conducted by a Professional Engineer, evaluating all building uses on the property.

“Due to the septic system capacity concerns … a review of the onsite septic system is needed before any restaurant use can be considered,” Webb wrote.

“The problem with the requirement for the WWC is that there were multiple restaurants in operation and paying taxes for about 15 years in Spotsylvania County. Now that we are doing everything by the book we are the ones paying for it,” explained Ahluwalia. “We would have acted much sooner if the department had told us in June. The previous restaurant was operating with the same setup until March 2024. We just want a fair chance to open and serve our community.”

To help ease strain on the system in the interim, he has offered to limit hotel occupancy, pump the septic frequently, and even rent luxury portable restrooms for restaurant guests—if permitted by the county.

Despite months of setbacks, both Farley and Ahluwalia remain determined to open The Rustic Tavern as soon as possible.

“We’ve done everything possible,” said Ahluwalia. “We just need cooperation and a clear solution so this doesn’t keep happening to small businesses in Spotsylvania. We want to bring something special to Lake Anna—and right now, the community is missing out.”

Jen Bailey

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