Michel Roux says restaurant could lose 15 staff members

Michel Roux Jr says he could lose as many as 15 members of staff from his two-Michelin-star Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche when the parking charges come in.

Roux, a presenter on Masterchef: The Professionals, said: "My staffing levels are definitely going to go down in January. Ten are going to leave then and some more are going to wait and see. We could have 12 to 15 fewer staff, that's a lot from a total of only around 70. It's hard enough to make ends meet without another tax."

He said some staff would have to be let go because less money will be spent in the restaurant and some would leave voluntarily as they would not be able to afford to park their cars.

Roux said research showed the charges could cost the West End £800 million and the real losers would be small family-owned businesses.

"But it is not just businesses - you have to look at the bigger picture. It is also staff, because if businesses go down they will get rid of staff. It is a vicious circle and a huge concern."

He added: "I have had a business here since 1981 and now I am being told to 'sod off'. I can guarantee that many people will not come again on a Sunday, they will go to shopping centres outside central London.

"There is no congestion problem in Mayfair and never has been since I came here 30 years ago."