Manchester site closes

One of Manchester's most respected restaurants, the 40-seat Woodlands in Audenshaw, is set to close this summer after trading for more than a decade.

The restaurant's owners say their £25-a-head menu can no longer compete with the local pubs, which are increasingly offering food. They claim the restaurant's location seven miles from the city centre has also contributed to its demise.

"It seems the restaurant could be a bit too sophisticated for this area," said joint owner Rhoda Crank, who is hoping to sell the premises.

Head chef at Woodlands, Mark Jackson, who has been cooking there for 10 years, will quit on 10 August.

The closure of Woodlands is in contrast to the activity taking place elsewhere in the city. Oliver Peyton, owner of London's Atlantic Bar and Grill, and Paul Heathcote, owner of Heathcotes restaurant in Longridge, Lancashire, are planning openings for Manchester later this year.