Another top eatery closes in city centre
FINE dining restaurant The Rabbit, formerly known as The Rabbit In The Moon, has announced it will close next month.
The restaurant, which occupies the top two floors of the Urbis building at Cathedral Gardens, will serve its last meal on November 17.
The restaurant underwent a rebrand earlier this year after chef Michael O’Hare stepped down from his role as culinary creative director at GG Hospitality, the hotel and restaurant company co-owned by former Manchester United footballers Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs.
The company says trading figures do not justify keeping the restaurant open and shareholders want to focus on the roll out of hotels, including Manchester’s forthcoming Stock Exchange development.
When Michelin-starred O’Hare launched the ‘space-age Asian restaurant’ The Rabbit In The Moon, he hoped it would win the first Michelin star for Manchester in decades.
He apologised and promised ‘next year’ when the restaurant failed to achieve the accolade last year but later left the venue and GG Hospitality.
The restaurant missed out on a star for a second year earlier this month under new head chef John Granaghan.
The decision has now been taken by shareholders to cease operation next month.
A spokesperson for the restaurant explained: “The team at The Rabbit will be serving its last meal on the 17th of November.
“As a result of a number of factors, the trading figures for the restaurant do not justify keeping the operation open and the shareholders want to focus resources on the roll out of hotels which are ultimately the core of the business.
“With effect from the 18th of November, the venue will be used for corporate and private events only.
“The team at The Rabbit will continue to operate the venue under the GG Events & Catering brand.”
The closure comes just weeks after the closure of fine dining restaurant Manchester House in Spinningfields, which went into administration together with Living Ventures stablemate Artisan.
The owners said they had struggled with rising costs and high rents as well as low trading over the summer.