Restaurateur Claudio Pulze has bought the site of Marcus Wareing's former restaurant, Fleur.
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Marcus Wareing pictured at Fleur
before its closure earlier this year
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The deal has been agreed in principle, but contracts are not expected to be exchanged until tomorrow (29 October).
Pulze, the man behind Aubergine, Zaika and Al Duca, bought the restaurant in St James's, London, from Ramsay Holdings for an undisclosed sum. Rent on the short lease will be 10% of turnover or £150,000 a year.
Knight Frank acted for Pulze, who is taking on the restaurant fully fitted, but will be changing its name to Fiore, the Italian for flower. It is expected to open next month. A well-regarded chef from Italy will head up the kitchen and partner Pulze in the new business.
A spokeswoman for Pulze said the restaurant would not be aiming for Michelin stars immediately, and the atmosphere would be more relaxed than under the previous ownership.
Fleur was originally on the site of the Ramsay group's P‚trus restaurant before it moved to its current premises in the Berkeley hotel. Fleur shut earlier this year after only six months in business.
Pulze teamed up with Sir Michael Caine earlier this year to open Indian restaurant Deya.
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 28 October 2004