Celebrity Chef Rick Stein Explains Wiltshire Restaurant Closure
Renowned chef, television presenter, and restaurateur Rick Stein has shared his reasons for closing his only Wiltshire restaurant, located in Marlborough. The establishment, which opened in 2016 as the sixth in his chain of restaurants across England, was known for serving his signature seafood dishes such as Dover sole à la meunière and turbot hollandaise.
The sudden closure occurred on October 5, marking an unexpected end to nearly a decade of operation. In an exclusive interview with the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, Stein discussed the decision as part of a broader conversation about his upcoming book and television projects.
Economic Challenges Behind the Decision
Stein explained that the closure was driven by economic conditions rather than personal choice. Declining customer numbers and the financial strain across the hospitality sector contributed to the outcome.
“We decided to close because there just wasn’t enough business,”
“We’re not going under, but we are having to restructure our business just because of the hard time we’re going through. The whole hospitality industry is suffering. Personally, I think it’s a mixture of the government’s last budget and the quite grim economic time we have been going through.”
Industry Context
Stein emphasized that his experience reflects the wider difficulties currently challenging UK hospitality businesses, many of which are contending with rising costs and reduced consumer spending.
Author’s summary: Rick Stein revealed that his Marlborough restaurant closed due to economic hardships and industry-wide struggles, not due to failure of his business itself.