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Fake restaurant news in the Daily Mail may be of little surprise, but fake news it nevertheless remains. Corbin and King’s restaurants are not insolvent and are not in immediate danger of closure, despite a report in the DM claiming they had “filed for insolvency.”
The filings were in fact made as proof of solvency, as the restaurant group enters into not one, but two protracted legal battles. The first is with majority shareholder Minor International, which attempted to demand repayment of a £35 million loan which would have forced the restaurants’ closure, according to the Times. This is part of a long running dispute over strategy which King first publicly detailed in November 2021, with the two parties disagreeing over the state of the London restaurant market and also expansion plans.
The second legal battle is with insurer Axa, over the non-payment of Covid-19 losses. The claim, which is worth around £4.5 million, could have serious ramifications for the restaurant world at large. It will test the scope of “denial of access” insurance, a common policy feature in the industry; if found to be enforceable in these circumstances, it could lead to a flood of claims from restaurants.
London coffee is brewing up nicely
One of the city’s former essential coffee shops, Black Swan Yard, will reopen on a new site in Bermondsey, in partnership with Little Bread Pedlar, while the outstanding Store Street Espresso has just opened near Liverpool Street. But sad news for filter-only pioneer Born Drippy, which will close in February.
Craft beer bros accused of further inappropriate behaviour
After attempting to get ahead of a documentary about “craft” giant Brewdog by reminding participants of the risks of anonymity, co-founder James Watt has been accused of a raft of inappropriate behaviour in said documentary.
Great British Menu host’s restaurant delayed giving staff their tips
Andi Oliver’s Wadadli Kitchen was late in paying out tips to at least 20 staff, and while it says it has now resolved the issue, former workers claim there are “still part-time team members who haven’t seen a penny.”