Viner moves Pennypots

Former National Chef of the Year winner Kevin Viner has moved his one-Michelin-starred restaurant Pennypots to a new site. The Cornish eaterie that was at Maenporth Beach, Falmouth, has been relocated to Falmouth's Harbourside.

The move was prompted, said Viner, because the Maenporth site was not profitable, despite being full every night during the three years it was open.

"To the last day we were full every night," he added, "but the running cost of the building itself was too great to operate the business profitably. Its design and location was not good."

Viner, who closed the 60-seat eaterie last October, said that he lost £90,000 from the restaurant, which was rented from Pilkington Glass.

The new venture will be in the 60-bedroom, 18th-century Greenbank hotel, which is independently owned by a consortium of local businessmen.

Viner has not invested any money in the new Pennypots, which is having a £50,000 refurbishment, but has an option of moving into partnership at a later date.

The new 40-seat restaurant is set to open in April and will offer a fixed-price menu, specialising in seafood, with six choices at each level. Average spend is anticipated at about £34 with wine for a three-course meal.

Viner is recruiting staff for both back and front of house, as only one member of staff from Maenporth Beach, commis David Gingell, has left to join him.

The chef has no remaining association with the previous fine-dining Pennypots, but its former members of staff have taken over the running of the bar and grill, now renamed the Cove Bar, which operated alongside the Maenporth restaurant.