The company that owns it, Teatro (Leeds) Club and Restaurant
Ltd, has been placed into the hands of liquidators at Tenon Latham. Chapman's
two London restaurants are not effected as they operate independently of the
Leeds outlet, which was 25% owned by Leeds United Football Club.
Chapman had predicted that the Leeds version would be twice
as successful as its London predecessor, which opened in Soho in February 1998
and has over 2,000 members.
"Unfortunately, there simply was not enough trade in Leeds
to sustain this type of club and restaurant operation," Chapman conceded.
Teatro Leeds included a 100-seat members bar, a 130-seat public restaurant and
a 40-seat private dining room.
The company declined to comment on reports that it had only
attracted 500 members.
Newspaper reports in March suggested turnover at the Leeds
club had reached just £619,000 after the first five-and-a-half months, well
below the first-half target of £1.4m.
Despite the loss of the Leeds outlet, Chapman has two new
openings in the pipeline.
SO.UK, an 85-seat
Moroccan bar which opened in Clapham last October, will be joined by a
second restaurant in west London, around Fulham Broadway, this October. Another
club venue in central London is planned for early spring next year.