Savoy hotel plans to relaunch Simpson's in the Strand next year
The Savoy hotel is hoping to relaunch the historic Simpson's in the Strand restaurant space with a new partner next year.
Simpson's is one of London's oldest restaurants and opened in 1828 as a chess club and coffee house.
It was one of the first UK restaurants to win a Michelin star in 1974 and the site relaunched in 2017 with a revamped dining room and menu.
However, the space has been unable to reopen since the pandemic and some of its fixtures and fittings, including the famous silver carving trolleys, were auctioned off over the summer.
Franck Arnold, managing director of the Savoy, told The Caterer the hotel was in the process of signing a partner to reopen the space "as soon as possible".
"If everything happens according to plan, I would say we should open before mid-next year, though it is still not finalised," said Arnold.
He added that the hotel was seeking the right partner to help the site "realise its potential" and it could regain its status as a "staple" of the British restaurant scene.
"[The relaunch] is going to make a bit of noise," said Arnold. "If it happens the way I foresee, it's going to be very exciting for Londoners and international visitors ready to come and enjoy Simpson's again. We can't wait."
Simpson's also functions as an events space and features a downstairs bar. The Savoy plans to invest in modernising the back of house area ahead of the reopening.
An interview with Arnold will be published in the next issue of The Caterer.
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