Ramsay quits Connaught and Angela goes too

Gordon Ramsay is to close his restaurant in the Connaught over a row about providing room service to the hotel.

The Michelin-starred Angela Hartnett at the Connaught had been one of the jewels in the crown in his restaurant empire.

It is currently shut while the Connaught is refurbished, but will not reopen, despite achieving commercial and critical success.

Sources said Ramsay was unhappy about the hotel wanting Hartnett's food to be available by room service.

It was felt the move could compromise the quality of the food on offer and place too many demands on the kitchen, according to sources.

Hartnett is to open a new restaurant later this year in London, her spokesman said.

The modern European-themed restaurant drew heavily on Hartnett's Italian roots. It received a Michelin star in 2004, two years after opening, but had to close when a £60 million revamp of the Mayfair hotel began earlier this year.

Until two days ago Ramsay's website had claimed "we very much look forward to welcoming you back to Angela Hartnett at The Connaught once we reopen". Today all mention of the restaurant was removed. Gordon Ramsay Holdings said the split was amicable.

"The Maybourne Group and Gordon Ramsay Holdings confirm that GRH will not be renewing their lease on the restaurant at The Connaught when it reopens at the end of the year," a spokesman said.

The closure highlights the volatile nature of London's restaurant market and came as restaurateurs hit back at claims that London is the most expensive place in the world to eat out.

The latest Zagat restaurant guide claimed the average cost of a three-course meal with one drink and service rose three per cent to £39.09 last year, putting the city ahead of Tokyo and Paris and making it more than twice as dear as New York. At the 20 most expensive establishments the average bill was £89.90 per head.