'The end of an era:' industry bids farewell to iconic restaurant, Le Caprice London

The latest of the Coronavirus casualties, LE Caprice won't be reopening its doors on its current site, 38 years after it opened in London's St James.'

Notorious food writer for Bloomberg, Richard Vines, Tweeted the news yesterday, adding that there were plans to reopen the restaurant at a different sight, at a date yet to be announced: 

Very sad news: @lecapricelondon has closed down after 38 years. There are early plans to reopen at a new location. (Exclusive, by the way.) pic.twitter.com/1KbQCShcdw

— Richard Vines (@Richardvines) June 14, 2020

Former customers and chefs took to their keyboards to mourn the restaurant, which belongs to the same restaurant group as The Ivy, and grew to acclaim in the 1980s and 1990s as a celebrity hotspot.

Roy Brett, chef proprietor of Edinburgh's acclaimed seafood restaurant, Ondine, worked at the restaurant before setting up his own, and lamented the closure:

So sad
Loved working there great times

— Ondine Restaurant (@OndineEdin) June 14, 2020

Very sad - end of an era!

— Mayfair Times (@MayfairTimes) June 14, 2020

Others saw the closure as an omen, with more restaurants to follow - calling for action by the government.

With the hospitality industry - especially so in the capital - more affected than most sectors by the pandemic, measures called for include tax credits for landlord,s to encourage them to give businesses rent holidays, a relaxation of the 2 metre social distancing rule, and prompting banks and creditors to give the green light to more business interruption loans.

SHIT !!. @BorisJohnson !!!! This won’t be the last. Please don’t let these #London institutions die PLEASE remove the 2 meters and let the #bars and #restaurants re open ASAP

— ladytraderN1 (@ladytraderN1) June 14, 2020

News anchor Piers Morgan also lamented the news, and received a reply from Caprice Holdings director, Jesus Adorno, explaining that the lease was expiring on the current site, but that Le Caprice would be "reborn at a new location" soon:

Hello Piers. After occupying the site for almost 39 years, the lease is coming to an end but the iconic, Le Caprice will be reborn at a new location in the near future, I will share our exciting plans with you ASAP, do give my best to your Mum and my love to Celia, see you soon!

— Jesus@LeCaprice (@JesusAdorno) June 15, 2020