After almost 13 weeks of the government’s imposed lockdown, many UK restaurants are patiently awaiting the go-ahead to reopen, albeit with strict new measures. In self-governed Jersey, some have already reopened. Following the news that restaurants such as The Ledbury, The Frog Hoxton, Siren at The Goring, Le Caprice, and Indian Accent will not reopen, due to difficulties posed by strict social distancing guidelines, chef Alex Jackson has also announced that his restaurant, Sardine, will not reopen.
Announced this afternoon, via a post on the chef’s Instagram account, Alex Jackson wrote: “We are really sad to have to announce that we will not be reopening Sardine. We want to thank our amazingly loyal guests, our fantastic suppliers, and especially all of our team members past and present who have worked so hard to make Sardine the special place it was. We are truly sorry we are not able to continue to be there for you.”
The post went on to explain the fact that the restaurant has struggled despite government support, also suggesting social distancing would be very difficult to implement due to the size of the restaurant. Sardine’s menu championed rustic Provençal food, including what’s arguably London’s best bouillabaisse. It should thus go without saying that the conviviality of the setting, matched with the food, was very much part of the restaurant’s charm.
“We had a lot of fun over the years, and are immensely proud of the great times that we have created for our guests and our employees,” the post continues. “Whilst there are no future plans at all right now, we know that Londoners will always have an appetite for the honest, delicious cooking and warm hospitality that Sardine brought to the city, and we hope that someday and somehow we will be able to cook for you all again. We’ll miss you a lot!”
Opened in July 2016, the restaurant was met with a positive response, receiving praise from customers and critics such as Grace Dent, Marina O’Loughlin, and the late AA Gill. In under an hour, Jackson’s Instagram post has been met with much devastation from fans of the restaurant and loyal customers. Another restaurant that will be sorely missed.
