Rossini’s closes today

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 27

Rossini’s closes today

Rossini’s, the Italian restaurant on the ground floor of the Clarendon Tower, will close today, the receivers for the restaurant’s owners said yesterday.

Mr Stephen Tubbs, of Coopers and Lybrand, one of the receivers for D. J. and J. R. French, said the restaurant’s poor financial performance, which had been compounded by cold weather during the last few months, meant it had to close.

However, Clarrie’s Bar and Maddison’s Restaurant on the first floor of the Clarendon Tower, both owned by the company, would continue trading. Mr Jeff Austen, an experienced international chef who had been head chef at Maddison’s since the restaurant opened last year, had been appointed manager of both operations, he said. Mr Tubbs and Mr Tony Lewis, also of Coopers and Lybrand, were appointed

receivers of D. J. and J. R. French after the company’s creditors made it clear they intended to have the company wound up. In April the restaurants and bar were closed for about two weeks in a dispute over rent arrears.

Mr Tubbs said Rossini’s had suffered because of cold weather over the last few months.

“That type of operation does much better in spring and summer, particularly when you can put the tables outside.”

The receivers had also recently- sold another restaurant owned by the company, the Shakespeare, in Merivale.

Mr Tubbs said the receivers intended to have the company trade on until it showed a profit and could be sold as a going concern, rather than have the company “trade out” of its present difficulties.