Blanc's The Restaurant winners quit after seven months

Jeremy and Jane Hooper, winners of Raymond Blanc's TV series The Restaurant](http://www.bbc.co.uk/restaurant/), have quit Eight at the Thatch after just seven months running the business.

The pair, who were victorious in the BBC Two reality TV series last October, are now looking to return to their home county of Cornwall where they will open their own restaurant.

They moved to Thame in Oxfordshire to run Eight at the Thatch after winning the reality TV show.

In a joint statement the Hooper's said: "We feel very disappointed that this hasn't worked out. We feel that we did not have the chance to make our concept work in the environment of a pub.

"Having said that, we were thrilled to win the prize and we have learned a lot. It has not proved possible to continue at Eight at the Thatch but we have not lost our dream."

Raymond Blanc said: "Jeremy and Jane worked very hard to make a success of Eight at the Thatch. I am happy that we were able to give them this chance and delighted that they have gained the experience and the confidence to start a new business.

The second series of The Restaurant is set to air on BBC Two later this year. The BBC said that the pair were "admirable winners" of the show.

Eight at the Thatch will now become a gastropub called The Thatch, run by Caterer adopted business Peach Pub Company who acted as consultants to the winners.

Sara Bates will act as the general manager.

Yesterday it emerged that head chef Christian Cillia has been sacked from the restaurant less than three months after joined the site. For more on Raymond Blanc see our dedicated page>>

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By Christopher Walton

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