Chef Alex Dilling confirms closure of the Greenhouse in Mayfair after restaurant is wound up in court

29 June 2020 by
Chef Alex Dilling confirms closure of the Greenhouse in Mayfair after restaurant is wound up in court

Executive chef Alex Dilling has confirmed the two-Michelin-starred Greenhouse restaurant in Mayfair will not reopen after being wound up in court last week.

The restaurant, owned by Marlon Abela, had failed to settle a tax bill to the tune of almost half a million pounds, the Insolvency and Companies Court in London had heard.

Writing on Instagram Dilling said: "It is with great sadness I confirm the Greenhouse Mayfair will not be reopening. "The last two years have been an amazing journey."

"I want to thank all of the team that was a part of it; for supporting my vision of gastronomy and culture of hospitality. You are all incredibly talented and I am so proud to have called you my colleagues but more importantly my friends."

Appearing for Marc (Greenhouse), Faith Julian had asked the court for more time to pay the £475,000, which he said was a group debt that had fallen on the business as other companies in the group had gone into administration. Julian said the company had made a proposal that presented "an opportunity for HMRC to be paid in full".

However, Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Briggs granted a compulsory winding up order.

He said the evidence showed the company was insolvent "on a balance sheet basis" and insolvent regarding cash flow because it was unable to pay HMRC its six-figure debt.

He added: "In my judgement, the fact that this petition has been outstanding for such a long time, there's been many hearings, [it] is not sufficient to only part-pay the debt of HMRC now.

"If the company was able to say it would pay the debt in full within 56 days that would be a different matter. To part-pay the debt is insufficient, so I will wind the company up."

Earlier this year Abela's other restaurants, two-Michelin-starred Japanese venue Umu, the Square and private members club Morton's, all in Mayfair, fell into administration.

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