Gordon Ramsay is making plans to open a chain of country pubs, after deciding against increasing his haul of seven Michelin stars by opening any new restaurants in the UK.

The celebrity chef’s business managers are drawing up plans to acquire a substantial number of country inns to organise a "dramatic" entry to the licensed trade, according to The Independent.

Although the pubs would sell beer and spirits, their primary role would be to serve food.

Chris Hutcheson, chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Holdings, told The Independent: "What we are looking at now is a move into pubs that serve food. I don't mean gastro-pubs - I mean good food."

Although Ramsay is expanding outside the UK with restaurants in New York, Florida, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Prague and Ireland, he believes there is no room for him to open a 10th restaurant in London.

Ramsay is also wary of opening more anywhere else in the UK because of the cost of prime property in cities.

He had to close his loss-making restaurant Amaryllis in 2004 because Glasgow's diners were reluctant to pay £70 for a meal on weekdays.

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By Daniel Thomas

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