Michelin-starred High Holborn fails to survive a year

London's High Holborn restaurant, which opened less than a year ago, closed last week just four months after winning its first Michelin star.

Owner Shaun Wilson denied that the 90-seat restaurant, in the street of the same name, was in receivership.

He said it had closed for financial reasons and yet described business as having been "good" and "as anticipated". He refused to give exact reasons for the closure.

He said: "We are in limbo. We are talking to our bank about what to do. The company is not in receivership at the moment but whether it will be, I don't know.

"This is a matter for us to sort out. It is an internal problem, and I don't want to wash my dirty linen in public."

High Holborn was opened by Wilson and his business partner Robbie O'Neill in August (Caterer, 10 August 2000, page 7).

The pair, who also operate the 1920 restaurant in London's Clerkenwell, have a majority stake in High Holborn. There are other investors.

The 20 staff at the restaurant include chef David Cavalier, who left London dining club Mosimann's to head the kitchen.

Wilson, who has worked at both the Savoy and Capital hotels in London, has set up and sold several successful operations in the capital in the past 15 years.

These include the Dolphin Brasserie, which he ran with hotelier Nicholas Crawley, and Notting Hill bar Beach Blanket Babylon, where he first teamed up with O'Neill.

Earlier in May High Holborn denied rumours that it had been put up for sale.

by Louise Bozec