A celebrity chef’s Sussex sojourn has ended in tears.
Marco Pierre White’s three restaurants in Sussex have now shut, after his ventures at The Chequers Inn in Maresfield and The Handsome Pig, Fernhurst, were chopped this month.
The chef was earlier dropped from The Rainbow Inn, a restaurant in Cooksbridge, near Lewes, after the owner said he wanted to return to “pub grub”.
Since 2010, The Chequers Inn and The Handsome Pig have featured restaurants run under Marco Pierre White’s Wheeler’s of St James’s brand.
But pub owners Power Train, which owned five inns across the South East, collapsed into administration earlier this month and now property specialist Christie & Co is looking for buyers for the chain with six-figure sums to spend.
The Chequers Inn is on the market for just under £1 million. The detached 17th century Grade II listed building includes a bar, a 70-cover restaurant and a four-bedroom coach house.
The Handsome Pig is for sale for £550,000. The 17th century country inn has a function room and |eight en-suite bedrooms.
White not for sale
A spokeswoman for Marco Pierre White said the Wheeler brand was not part of the sale.
Asked by The Argus if the chef’s expertise would come with the deal she said: “Absolutely not.”
Ed Bellfield, director at Christie & Co, said the pubs would be sold together or individually.
He said: “We are already seeing strong interest and we expect this to grow.”
Administrator Julie Palmer, of Begbies Traynor, said: “The pubs present a diverse offering. However, the trading businesses appear to be viable in their own right and we expect strong interest over the next few months.”
The pubs remain open and serving food, although not under the Pierre White brand.
See the latest news headlines from The Argus:
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel