Fallouts and financial woes: inside Heston Blumenthal's sinking empire

"It never performed particularly well after Ashley left, which is shocking as it was potentially the busiest and most successful two Michelin-star restaurant in the world. It went off the boil. When Ashley left, so did most of the core team. He claimed the restaurant was empty on Sunday lunchtimes which was extraordinary."

"Closing the restaurant was not Heston's choice whatsoever, a senior source from the Mandarin Oriental told the Guardian. The hotel chose not to renew the lease. If it's not successful, even with two stars, it's not bringing any money in, then, difficult decisions have to be made."

"Blumenthal's restaurant group, which includes the three Michelin-star Fat Duck in Bray as well as the Hind's Head pub, has also been struggling with debts. Last year, SL6 Ltd, the company behind the restaurants, posted a 2.1m loss, up from 1.4m the previous year."

Dinner by Heston, once a world-renowned two Michelin-star restaurant at London's Mandarin Oriental, is closing after the hotel chose not to renew its lease. While Blumenthal attributed the closure to the tenancy ending, staff and sources indicate the restaurant declined significantly after Ashley Palmer-Watts, who created the menu and managed daily operations, left the business. The departure of Palmer-Watts triggered an exodus of core team members, resulting in poor performance including empty Sunday lunchtimes. Blumenthal's broader restaurant group, including the three Michelin-star Fat Duck, faces financial difficulties with mounting losses and a winding-up petition from HMRC, though representatives dispute claims of underperformance at Dinner.

Read at www.theguardian.com