Owners of two top-rated central London restaurants are braced for crunch talks over their future, according to reports. The threat of closure is currently hanging over Italian la carte eateries The Petersham and La Goccia both in Floral Court, Covent Garden.
A row erupted between the Boglione family, behind Petersham Nurseries, and their landlord Shaftesbury Capital over rents. Discussions to determine the restaurants’ existence will take place between the parties early next week, with administrators at Buchler Phillips lined up in the event of closure, the Daily Telegraph said.
Petersham UK Limited, which runs the businesses, has already submitted two High Court filings in a month to declare an intention to appoint administrators, designed to give the company breathing space while attempting to negotiate lower rents. It is understood that the rental dispute only relates to The Petersham and La Goccia, and not the wider Petersham Nurseries business, which includes a garden nursery, lifestyle shop and a Michelin Green-starred restaurant in Richmond.
The family launched the brand in the early Noughties from their home Petersham House – a 17th century property in south west London. After taking over the neighbouring garden nursery in 2000, Italian entrepreneur Francesco Boglione and his wife Gael set about establishing Petersham Nurseries, which opened its doors in 2002.
