Michael Caines' Harbourside Refuge put on the market after closure

Michael Caines’ Harbourside Refuge restaurant and bar in Porthleven, Cornwall, has permanently closed.

A statement on the restaurant’s website said it had shut on 1 August and the site had been put up for sale.

Caines opened the Harbourside Refuge in August 2020 after acquiring the site from the Rick Stein group.

The chef mothballed the restaurant last winter after warning rising fuel prices and shortages of staff and produce meant it would be unable to trade through the colder months, but the closure has now been made permanent.

“Due to the economic climate and the on-going challenges that are facing the hospitality industry as a whole it has been a difficult decision and with a heavy heart that we have taken the decision to close,” a statement on Harbourside Refuge’s website said.

“Thank you to all of our customers, suppliers and the community of Porthleven, we have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the quaint and historic harbourside.

“Our decision to close has not been taken lightly however we sincerely hope to see you again soon at one of the Michael Caines restaurants.”

The restaurant’s sister property, the Cove Restaurant and Bar in Maenporth, will continue trade as normal.

It is part of the wider Michael Caines collection, which also includes the Michelin-starred Lympstone Manor hotel and restaurant and Mickey’s Beach Bar and Restaurant, both in Exmouth.