Restaurants call it a day as tough times hit celebrity chefs

Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson has closed four of his six restaurants after his holding company, AWT Restaurants, went into administration on Friday.

Restaurants call it a day as tough times hit celebrity chefs

He blamed a falling-off of business and lack of support by banks.

The failed restaurants are the Notting Grill and the Barnes Grill in London, and The Greyhound and The Lamb Inn in Henley-on-Thames.

Worrall Thompson has reportedly put £250,000 of his own money into the business to save his remaining restaurants, the Windsor Grill in Windsor, Berkshire and the Kew Grill in London.

The closure of the restaurants has made 60 people redundant.

Worrall Thompson has licensing arrangements with several housewares suppliers of bakeware, cookware, small appliances and general kitchenware.

Meanwhile, another celebrity chef, Jean Christophe Novelli, has also run into difficulties. His two A Touch of Novelli gastro-pubs, the White Horse in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, and the French Horn in Steppingly, Berkshire, have ceased trading after hitting financial problems.

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