'I'm not sure what the future will hold for me now'

Bermondsey restaurant The Loyal Tavern, a joint venture between chef Tom Cenci and Adam White will remain closed as a direct result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The chef, most known for having worked at The Duck and Waffle for six years, took to Instagram to announce the news, explaining that Covid-19 and ongoing fixed costs were to blame for the closure.

He said that the decision had been taken "with a broken heart" and that it was one that he thought he "would never have to take." 

The news comes as a string of permanent closures has swept the industry, as businesses' cashflow was abruptly brought to a halt during lockdown. 

Among them, James Sommerin's  restaurant in Wales, as well as Rick Stein's Portheleven and Malborough sites, the latter having since been bought by Michelin-starred celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. 

The chef, who jointly opened the London restaurant with Adam White (co-founder of Riding House Café, Fitzrovia) in September last year, said: "It has been an extremely challenging time for everyone in our industry, and I can only hope things will get better."

He added: "I'm not sure what the future will hold for me now, but I'd like to say a huge thank you to all the team at Loyal Tavern whom all of which I would happily recommend for work and to all the guests who had the chance to dine with us. Thank you for your support."