Corbin & King to close Bellanger as group takes west London site

Corbin & King is to close Bellanger restaurant in London's Islington as its critical success "wasn't matched financially".

In the same announcement restaurateur Jeremy King revealed the group had acquired a new site in Notting Hill Gate, although did not give any details of its plans for the area.

The 200-cover Bellanger opened in May 2015, serving dishes inspired by the Alsatian roots of the original Parisian brasseries. It was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand in the same year.

When it opened the Times' Giles Coren gave the restaurant 8/10, while the Guardian's Grace Dent described it as "a delightful mix of The Delaunay (European old-school glitz pulled off with Manhattan chic) and the gloriously eccentric Fischer's 's (schnitzel, würstchen and Viennese konditorei)".

Jeremy King said the time had now come to pull the plug on the project and focus on the group's new openings. It will cease trading on Sunday 11 August.

"Much as it had been a great critical success, this wasn't matched financially. And although we continued to trade for much longer than less patient operators might have persevered, there came a point where we had to be pragmatic and move on to concentrate on new projects - the birth of Manzi's in Soho and indeed another rather interesting opportunity on the horizon."

Soutine in London's St John's Wood opened in April, while Soho seafood restaurant Manzi's has been slated for a 2020 opening.

Corbin & King now operates London restaurants the Wolseley, Colbert, Brasserie Zédel, the Delauney, Fischer's and Soutine.

Corbin & King's new Soho restaurant Manzi's slated for 2020 opening>>