Peter Gladwin sells restaurants to concentrate on event catering

Chef Peter Gladwin is selling his Just Gladwins and Just the Bridge restaurants, both in the City of London, Caterer has learnt.

Christian Butler, currently general manager at Polish restaurant Baltic on Blackfriars Road, is on the verge of completing the deal for Just the Bridge, expected to sell for close to the asking price of £180,000.

Butler, formerly the restaurant manager at the Adam Street members' club in London, plans to reopen the restaurant under a new name, Northbank, in mid-July after a £250,000 refurbishment, serving modern English cuisine. A head chef has yet to be named.

Gladwin, who also owns two other London restaurants, Just St James and Just Oriental, is giving up the Just Gladwins site after 12 years to concentrate on his growing event catering company, Party Ingredients.

The sale of the leasehold for the 90-cover basement restaurant on the corner of Minster Court is being handled on a nil-premium basis, with fixtures and fittings negotiable.

Vicky O'Hare, director of Party Ingredients, said the company would keep its flagship Just St James and Just Oriental restaurants "as public space for Peter as a chef".

But she added: "The City restaurants were a distraction. We want to focus on our core business, event catering in the City, and consolidate and expand on our private work."

Property agent Christie & Co is handling the sale of both properties.

By Emily Manson

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