Chapel Down vineyard restaurant to close
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Chef
Richard Phillips at
Chapel Down Vineyard, near Tenterden
One of Kent’s best-known restaurants
has shut after less than four years.
The fine dining venue at Chapel
Down Vineyard, Smallhythe, near Tenterden, run by celebrity chef
Richard Phillips, closed on January 24.
The decision was "very
disappointing," said vineyard chief executive Frazer Thompson. It
was hard to understand why an award-winning restaurant with a
£1m-plus turnover should fail.
The vineyard had a landlord/tenant
arrangement with Mr Phillips and his company Kentish Dining Rooms
(KDR). It owes the vineyard "a lot of money," Mr Thompson said.
"We are disappointed by what has
happened. Whilst it’s a tough business environment out there at the
moment, the restaurant has had tremendous trade since it opened in
July 2008. In addition, English wines in general and Chapel Down in
particular is an exciting place to be right now as we enter Jubilee
and Olympic Year."
He insisted that it was not the end
of a vineyard restaurant and it would re-open with a new partner,
or run by the vineyard.
"We’ve helped to create a £1m
restaurant business and we intend to get the operation trading
successfully as soon as possible." Several bookings, including
wedding receptions, have been cancelled.
It is understood that the decision
by Ashford council to stop wedding receptions going on beyond 9pm
was a key factor in the controversial decision.
KDR also runs Thackeray’s,
Tunbridge Wells, and is a partner at The Hengist, Aylesford, and
Pearsons Arms,Whitstable.
Wednesday, February 01 2012
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