Ikon Gallery’s Café Opus to close as new one signs up
AWARD-winning Café close after four years ham’s Ikon Gallery.
The well-known cafe has chosen not to renew its lease and will close for good on Friday, December 23.
However, the Brindleyplace modern art gallery has announced Yorks Bakery will be taking over the same spot in January, serving pizzas mezze-style sharing plates and craft beers.
The outgoing Café Opus was owned by the group which runs the award-winning fine dining restaurant of the same name in Cornwall Street as well as Bar Opus at 1 Snowhill.
Managing director Ann Tonks said: “We have had four wonderful years at Ikon. Our lease has come to an end and we decided not to renew, in favour of developing our Bar Opus format. We have made some lifelong friends at the gallery, and we look forward to maintaining our strong ties.”
The news came as shock to some Opus is to at Birming- food fans as the eaterie was named as Birmingham’s ‘local gem’ in the Good Food Guide 2017.
The café’s staff of five will be staying within the Opus Group and there will be no job losses.
Yorks owner Simon Ford currently operates two cafés – Yorks Café and Coffee Roasters, in Stephenson Street, and Yorks Espresso Bar, in Colmore Row, though their original flagship café in Newhall Street is closed.
Last year Yorks was named by The Sunday Times “as one of the best places in Britain to brunch”.
The website café states: “Yorks at Ikon will offer visitors a new look eating space and a brand new menu.
“We will be evolving into an evening venue with the introduction of craft beers on tap, stone baked pizzas, and a sharing-plate inspired selection of mezze and salads.”
Meanwhile, popular Kings Heath south-east Asian restaurant Blue Ginger is to close after ten years.
Owners Peter and Siew Kuan Hodgson have decided to concentrate all of their time on sister venue The Blue Piano in Harborne Road, Edgbaston instead.
Blue Ginger, in Poplar Road, will serve its last meals on Friday, December 23.
Mr Hodgson said: “The news is a disappointment to many of our regulars who are able to walk to Blue Ginger.
“I have tried to sell it as a going concern but there have been no takers – our menu is very specialised which is why people like us.
“So now I am looking to offload the lease and sell the fixtures and fittings. The business was still doing well, so I’m really sorry for our regulars.
“But with 36 covers we were limited as to what we could do after ten years. Instead of being caught between two businesses and home and our eight-year-old son, we now want to concentrate on just one business.”