‘You should always go out on a high’: Mark Hix to close the Oyster & Fish House

Mark Hix has confirmed he will be closing the Oyster & Fish House in in Lyme Regis next month after 16 years of trading.

Writing on Instagram, he said: “I always think if you’re going to stop doing something, you should always go out on a high. And so, with heavy heart, I am announcing the closure of the Oyster & Fish House on December 7th this year.

“The restaurant, along with the team, will be taken over in the very near future, and news of that will follow next week. But for now, I wanted to personally say a huge thank you to everyone that has supported the business over the years.

“We have made some fantastic and loyal friendships, we’ve run countless successful events with incredible chefs including Food Rocks, we’ve raised huge amounts for charity and worked with some very talented and dedicated staff members.”

The chef and restaurateur added he has “no plans” to open any more restaurants in future, though he will continue working in both Dorset and London.

“I will certainly miss my Lyme Regis restaurant, but I will cherish the memories that I have made over the last 16 years. I am now looking forward to focusing on new projects, which will always include my Kitchen Tables events at my Charmouth home,” he said.

Hix opened the Oyster & Fish House in 2020 in the former site of Hix Oyster & Fish House, which first launched in 2008 serving signature dishes such as house-smoked salmon, Fish House pie, Dorset oysters and whole fish caught locally and served on the bone.

The original Hix Oyster & Fish House closed in April 2020 following the appointment of administrators to his restaurants and Hix Townhouse.

During the pandemic, Hix took advantage of relaxed planning rules to build a £20,000 wooden deck at the new Oyster & Fish House, but local councillors voted for it to be removed in a meeting in early 2023.

A petition was launched to ‘Save Mark Hix’s Decking’, which received over 6,500 signatures – “more than the population of Lyme Regis”.

Despite this, Hix accepted defeat after further pressure from the council and removed the outdoor deck in March 2023.  

Hix was named Chef of the Year at the 2010 Cateys and received an MBE for services to hospitality in 2016.