Nine months after opening Thomas Carr Seafood and Grill has closed

Just nine months after opening and less than a month after receiving a Michelin Recommendation, Thomas Carr Seafood and Grill in in Ilfracombe, Devon has closed.

Chef Thomas Carr, who also owns Michelin-starred Olive Room, told DevonLive that the announcement was "bittersweet".

He said: "We’re immensely proud of the recognition that the Seafood & Grill has gained in such a short time and of the fantastic team that worked so hard together."

Thomas blames a 'tough economical climate' for the closure explaining how hard it is 'to maintain such a high standard of food and service in a restaurant the size of the Seafood & Grill whilst still being able to run a profitable business'.

He added: "We really did try our hardest to make it a success, but it just hasn’t worked out."

Ilfracombe has also seen The Habit, The Quay and The Gendarmerie close over the last 18 months.

Despite the closure he says that 'The Olive Room is still very much open for business and will continue to be the flagship Michelin starred restaurant in Ilfracombe'. Opening in August 2014 the restaurant received it’s Michelin Star in 2016 and has maintained it ever since.

He said: "We know how quickly news of this nature spreads and people will naturally assume that the Grill closing will also mean The Olive Room is meeting the same fate, but it isn’t."

Head chef of the Seafood & Grill, Chris Essex will be joining him in The Olive Room kitchen, Thomas said: "He’s an incredibly talented chef who is as equally passionate as I am about food so we’re excited to see how we can continue to improve the experience at The Olive Room together."

Thomas opened the Seafood & Grill following a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this year when he hit his target in just eight days.

He said: "We'll be endeavouring to contact our customers who had reservations, unclaimed Kickstarter Rewards or vouchers with us to discuss alternative arrangements."

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.