Celebrity haunt Julie's up for sale after 53 years

Longstanding Holland Park restaurant Julie's has closed after 53 years, having run its last service on New Year's Eve.

Owners Timothy and Cathy Herring are set to retire and have appointed Savills to find a buyer for the restaurant.

The west London venue has long been famous for its quirky interiors and history of celebrity guests, with Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Kate Moss, and Tina Turner all having graced its booths.

Its most famous table G3 is located in a curtained alcove that became known as the G-spot.

Julie's was launched by interior designer Julie Hodgess in 1967 and the Herring's took over the operation in 1972.

The restaurant closed in 2014 and relaunched five years later after a refurbishment. Chef Shay Cooper, who won a Michelin star at the Goring hotel, was appointed to oversee the kitchen. Writing in the Evening Standard after the relaunch, critic Fay Maschler praised its "fabulous food" and said the restaurant had served one of the best desserts she had eaten "in a very long time".

Josh Leon, director of restaurant sales at Savills, said: "Julie's is one of those places that's earned a permanent place in London's restaurant pantheon. It hasn't often been in the headlines which is part of its attraction, but this discreet address has been for many years a place where those most in the public gaze could come and let their hair down."

Savills has been appointed to sell the freehold of the restaurant and separate large maisonette above.

Timothy said: "They came to Julie's I hope because it was a genuinely good restaurant in every sense, but also because they must have felt it was somewhere they belonged and could relax. We didn't set out with that in mind, but we obviously did something right.

"After 53 years the time has now come for us to retire and hopefully pass on the baton to new owners to cherish and take pride in Julie's as we have done for so many years."