Le Mont restaurant in Manchester closes

Molehill made out of a mountain

Le Mont restaurant, situated on the top of the Urbis building in Manchester, has closed, making it the second of the city's fine-dining restaurants to close in as many months.

The restaurant opened in 2002 and, although it received good reviews and won Hi-Life magazine's Best Restaurant award days before it closed, it was trading at a loss. Restaurant operators SMG Europe told the Manchester Evening News, "Despite making significant changes in management and operating procedures over the past year, the restaurant has continued to trade at a loss and has proven uneconomic to keep Le Mont open."

Robert Kisby, the Executive Chef from Le Mont's launch, quit last year blaming a lack of work support. He has since won a case for unfair and unlawful dismissal against the restaurant owners and now works at Cheshire gastro pub the Cock O Barton.

A spokesperson from Manchester City Council, the building's landlord, said, "A number of people have had a go at making this work. We are now looking to the future to see what alternative uses there are for the space as a matter of urgency."

The Establishment restaurant in Manchester's Spring Gardens closed a few weeks previously.