Chef Alex Dilling confirms closure of the Greenhouse in Mayfair after restaurant is wound up in court

Executive chef Alex Dilling has confirmed the two-Michelin-starred Greenhouse restaurant in Mayfair will not reopen after being wound up in court last week.

The restaurant, owned by Marlon Abela, had failed to settle a tax bill to the tune of almost half a million pounds, the Insolvency and Companies Court in London had heard.

Writing on Instagram Dilling said: “It is with great sadness I confirm the Greenhouse Mayfair will not be reopening. “The last two years have been an amazing journey.”

“I want to thank all of the team that was a part of it; for supporting my vision of gastronomy and culture of hospitality. You are all incredibly talented and I am so proud to have called you my colleagues but more importantly my friends.”

Appearing for Marc (Greenhouse), Faith Julian had asked the court for more time to pay the £475,000, which he said was a group debt that had fallen on the business as other companies in the group had gone into administration. Julian said the company had made a proposal that presented "an opportunity for HMRC to be paid in full".

However, Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Briggs granted a compulsory winding up order.

He said the evidence showed the company was insolvent "on a balance sheet basis" and insolvent regarding cash flow because it was unable to pay HMRC its six-figure debt.

He added: "In my judgement, the fact that this petition has been outstanding for such a long time, there's been many hearings, [it] is not sufficient to only part-pay the debt of HMRC now.

"If the company was able to say it would pay the debt in full within 56 days that would be a different matter. To part-pay the debt is insufficient, so I will wind the company up."

Earlier this year Abela's other restaurants, two-Michelin-starred Japanese venue Umu, the Square and private members club Morton's, all in Mayfair, fell into administration.