Victor Garvey at the Midland Grand shut down without warning this week, just five months after its heavily publicised launch, with the chef saying the closure was “due to circumstances beyond our control“.
The dining room of the Victorian Gothic former railway hotel, now run as the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, is regarded as one of the most beautiful restaurants in London, and Victor’s interpretation of classic French cuisine earned rave reviews following its February opening, most notably from Giles Coren of The Times and the FT’s Tim Hayward.
Victor is also chef-patron of SOLA restaurant in Soho, where he offers Californian cooking, and is understood to be working on a new restaurant project in Marylebone.
Two other notable restaurants announced their closure this week. Jeru in Mayfair, a Middle Eastern-inspired venture from Australian chef Roy Ner, will serve its last meals on Friday 1 August after a four-year run, while Brighton’s small-plates pioneer 64 Degrees is to close later this summer after 12 years.
Founders Michael and Carla Bremner announced the move in a social media post, saying the cost of living crisis, rising prices and energy hikes had made it increasingly difficult for independent restaurants to survive, so “the time now feels right for a new chapter“. “But it’s not the end of the story. Something new is on the way, and we can’t wait to share it with you soon.“
