Renowned Kent restaurant Read’s to close after 47 years

Esteemed Kent restaurant Read’s, which held a Michelin star for two decades, will close at the end of August after 47 years.

David and Rona Pitchford, who own the venue in Macknade Manor in Faversham, said “father time has finally caught up with us”.

The couple founded the restaurant in Painters Forstal in Kent in 1977 before moving it to the Faversham site in 2000, where they added six bedrooms to the offer.

Read’s held a Michelin star for 20 years from 1993 and remains listed in the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland.

Its entry in the guide said: “Classically based dishes have subtle modern touches and make use of seasonal produce from the walled kitchen garden and the nearby quay.”

The couple also won the Restaurateur of the Year – Independent Catey in 2003 and chef David has held positions in the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and was named the Craft Guild of Chefs’ National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) in 1986.

David begun his career at the Dorchester hotel in Mayfair and worked as a chef lecturer before launching Read’s.

Announcing the closure, the couple said: “If it were not for the perils of age, we would continue for another 47 years.

"It is not only our staff who have been incredibly loyal over the years but our customers too, many of whom have become friends.”

The pair said their greatest achievement had been many of their young protégés going on to achieve success in their own careers.

Two of their former team members - Mark Sargeant and James McLean - were named Young Chef of the Year in 1996 and 1997 respectively, before Sargeant went on to emulate his former boss by winning the NCOTY competition in 2002.

The Pitchfords said: “So, it’s farewell for now, but not goodbye. To paraphrase Winnie the Pooh ’How lucky we are to have something that makes saying farewell so hard’.”

The couple had put Macknade Manor on the market in 2023 with a price tag of £3m but told Kent Online that they no longer planned to sell the property.