Surrey restaurateurs buy Petersfield venue

Surrey restaurateur Bekim Shillova and his brother have bought the Kitchen restaurant in the Hampshire market town of Petersfield.

The 55-seat restaurant occupies the ground floor and basement of a Grade II-listed medieval property at 2 The Square.

Built in 1534 and once used as a commercial bakery called the Donkey Cart, the property is one of oldest timber-framed hearth-passage houses in the county.

The Shillovas own the La Escondida Mediterranean restaurant in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, and plan to convert the Petersfield venue into another Mediterranean venue.

The Winchester office of Christie + Co sold a brand new lease on the restaurant off a guide price of £100,000.

The previous owners are retaining the freehold on the restaurant, but are seeking to sell the leasehold on the Spice Lounge, a 100-seat restaurant with owners' accommodation on the first floor above, for around £130,000.

By Angela Frewin