Celebrity chef and writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has announced that after seven years of trading, River Cottage Kitchen Bristol will close next month. According to a statement shared on River Cottage’s website, the closure is a reaction to rising costs and challenging market conditions.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, best known for his Channel 4 series, River Cottage, as well as his range of bestselling cookbooks has said he’s “deeply saddened” to be closing the restaurant on Whiteladies Road and that he hopes River Cottage can return to the city one day.
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In order to minimise job losses, Hugh and his team are consulting with the Bristol staff to see whether they can offer alternative employment at one of River Cottage’s other sites in Axminster and Winchester, or at the farm and cookery school in Devon.
In fact, there are already expansion plans in place for River Cottage HQ in Devon, which include a new guesthouse and more event spaces. The headquarters is a 100-acre farm in the Axe Valley that runs courses and events throughout the year, all based on Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s farm-to-fork approach.
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The multi-award-winning writer and broadcaster is known for his uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically and sustainably-produced food and his concern for the environment. All of his restaurants follow his organic, provenance-driven mantra to the letter, meaning that menus change frequently and list the suppliers (whose produce is sourced within a 50-mile radius).
River Cottage Kitchen Bristol will remain open for business until 27 March 2020 and until then the team “look forward to welcoming guests as warmly as ever”.
It’s not known what the grand, Grade II-listed Victorian church building will be used for once Hugh and his team have moved out, but if it’s another restaurant we’ll be sure to let you know as soon as we hear.
For more great places to eat in this cool city, check out our guide to the best restaurants in Bristol.