Friday Five: the week's top news
- Ashley Palmer-Watts is to leave Heston Blumenthal's UK restaurant empire after almost 20 years as the chef's right-hand man. In a statement on social media, Palmer-Watts says he is ready for 'fresh challenges'.
- BrewDog is to open its first 'alcohol-free' bar in London to coincide with Dry January. BrewDog AF is billed as a 'pilot' concept rather than a pop-up and will feature 15 beers on tap as well as spirits and cider.
- South London bakery and restaurant Brick House has closed both its sites after nine years of trading. Founders Fergus and Sharmin Jackson say a 'crippling' rent increase has forced them out of their East Dulwich location, and the landlord at their inaugural Peckham site has decided not to renew the lease.
- French chef Marc Veyrat has lost a legal battle to try and force the Michelin Guide to reveal why it removed one of his restaurant's Michelin stars. A court dismissed the case and ordered Veyrat to pay costs after he failed to show he had suffered material damage.
- The UK's competition watchdog is to launch an in-depth investigation in to Amazon's investment in restaurant delivery platform Deliveroo. The Competitions and Markets Authority says both companies failed to address concerns the deal was anti-competitive and could lead to higher prices for consumers.
For more of this week's news, click here.
