North-east has to say goodbye to its only Michelin star

Chef Terry Laybourne has closed Newcastle's only Michelin-starred restaurant, 21 Queen Street.

He is spending about £100,000 on converting it into a cheaper, more casual bistro-style restaurant called Café 21, which will reopen on 4 September.

Laybourne, who has owned 21 Queen Street for 12 years, said he had been unhappy with its location as a Michelin-starred restaurant.

He had also found it difficult to attract customers at lunchtimes, which he described as "very poor".

The restaurant was the only Michelin-starred establishment in the North-east of England.

Laybourne also has a Café 21 in Ponteland, Newcastle, and next month his Sunderland restaurant, Brasserie 21, will be renamed Café 21.

Laybourne said: "21 Queen Street was not in the right location for a Michelin-starred restaurant. I need car-parking and I need a lounge or reception area."

He added: "Here there is a general mood for more casual food. People are eating out more but they do not want the formalities."

The average bill at Café 21 will be about £30 per person, as opposed to £48 at 21 Queen Street.

All the staff will transfer to the new restaurant.

Last year Laybourne put the 60-seat 21 Queen Street on the market for £350,000.

He had planned to sell it and open another restaurant in Newcastle but earlier this year he took it off the market because of a lack of interest.

He does not expect Café 21 to keep the Michelin star but has no plans to give the award back to Michelin as other chefs, such as Marco Pierre White, have done.

Laybourne said: "I'm not yet sure how I will cope emotionally. I don't think for one minute I will retain it but I hope it will be replaced with a Bib Gourmand."

Once Café 21 is open he wants to start looking for a site for a new 21 Queen Street-style restaurant: "I will be off on my bike looking in earnest. I would certainly like to do it inside 12 months."

Laybourne also owns Bistro 21 in Durham.

by Louise Bozec