Record number of restaurants open in capital

A record number of new restaurants opened - and closed - in London last year.

A survey by one of the capital's most respected restaurant guides has found that "dining rooms of note" have been opening at the rate of more than three a week over the past 12 months - making 2007 a "golden age" for foodies.

The new edition of Harden's London Restaurants, which will be published on 28 August, records 158 openings in the past year - a 13 per cent increase on the previous year.

This also beats the record of 142 openings in 2005. But the guide also noted a rise in establishments closing down - up a third on last year.

Peter Harden, editor of the guide said: "It's no secret that London is going through a tremendous boom at the moment, and with tremendous booms come the threat of tremendous downfalls.

"This is a golden age for the London restaurant-goer, with the restaurant scene reaching a stage which would have seemed inconceivable five years ago.

"It continues to evolve - generally for the good - faster than ever. We are now seeing new openings annually at about three times the rate of 15 years ago."

This year's biggest arrivals include Bacchus, the kitchenmeetslab in a former pub in Hoxton, and the fine dining venture Rhodes W1 by Gary Rhodes.

The re-opening of historic Mayfair seafood specialist Scott's also made a splash.

The venue has become a hit with celebrities, with diners including Gwen Stefani, Mick Jagger, Jemima Khan, Kate Moss, Pete Doherty, Jools Holland, Philip Green and Eddie Jordan.

The wave of openings is indicative of the wealth "swilling around the capital", said Mr Harden.

"But the closures we are seeing at the moment are in large part the flipside of progress," he added.

In the past 12 months, 89 restaurants closed, including the high-profile Bank Aldwych, which was sold for £3.5 million, and Astor Bar and Grill in Soho.

This is a trend that is likely to increase, warned Mr Harden, pointing out that closures happen in a two- or three-year cycle.