January 2nd 2024.
It's been a heartbreaking week for celebrity chefs as MasterChef star Tony Rodd has been forced to close down his restaurant, Copper & Ink.
The professional chef, who reached the finals of the UK series in 2015, opened the restaurant in Blackheath, south west London in 2018.
In a devastating statement, Tony, his wife Becky Rodd and the Copper & Ink family announced that the restaurant had to be closed with immediate effect.
The statement explained the difficult decision, citing ongoing financial difficulties stemming from Covid-19, the cost of living crisis, increased energy costs and price increases from suppliers. They also mentioned that customers were facing money issues, resulting in fewer guests coming through their doors and making running a business untenable.
The statement reads: ‘We have had a wonderful five year and we want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of our hearts for the warmth, love and support you have bestowed upon us during this time. We have been privileged to be such an integral part of the Blackheath Village community and we will dearly miss seeing all of you on a regular basis.’
In a video after the statement, a visibly emotional Tony and Becky thanked everyone for their messages and admitted they were ‘absolutely heartbroken.’ Tony said: ‘We’re very sorry to you all. You’re probably going to be seeing more and more of this.’
The news follows Sunday Brunch star Simon Rimmer's announcement that he was being forced to close his restaurant’s doors for good due to shocking rent hikes after 33 years in business. Taking to Instagram, the 60-year-old chef, who presents the Channel 4 show with Tim Lovejoy, explained that his restaurant Greens in Manchester’s Didsbury would stop operating after 33 years as the business had become ‘unviable.’
Simon stated: ‘It’s a heartbreaking day. We’ve unfortunately had to close the door. Our landlords have increased our rent in the region of 35%, and the cost of raw materials, the cost of heat, the cost of power, employing people, and general food costs has meant that the business has become unviable.’
The TV star then thanked every member of staff, customer, supplier, neighbour, and friend for keeping it going for over three decades.
It's a difficult time for celebrity chefs, with two beloved restaurants having to close their doors due to financial difficulties. We send our love and best wishes to Tony, Becky and Simon and everyone else involved.
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