Simon Wood closes his Manchester restaurant
Announcing the news on social media, the chef and restaurateur says his WOOD restaurant, located in the Deansgate area of the city, has closed with immediate effect.
The chef blamed the rise in costs as well a business rates and Covid debt on the closure.
“We have had 7 years as part of the Manchester City dining scene and I’m very proud of what the team and I have achieved,” he says.
“Sadly with COVID rent arrears now being demanded by our landlord and an increasingly difficult marketplace, energy increases, ingredient costs and soon to be spiralling business rates we just cannot make this work.
“I’d like to thank everyone for your support and patronage over the years.”
Wood, a former MasterChef winner launched WOOD in Manchester in the summer of 2017. At the time of opening he described it as being “as unfussy as possible with approachable staff, comfortable chairs and dishes guests want to order again and again”.
Wood previously operated Wood Chester at Hotel Indigo, but the restaurant did not reopen after the Coronavirus lockdown had lifted with the chef saying that his proposed move to a set tasting menu format alongside a three-course A Taste of Wood menu was moving in the wrong direction for what the hotel restaurant should be.
