Earlier this month, Restaurant reported that the future of Dastaan’s sister restaurant was in doubt after its operating company entered administration.
In a statement announcing the closure, the team says it has been unable to secure the lease needed to continue trading.
According to the statement, Black Salt was invited to open during the pandemic by a business partner who had secured the property, on the understanding that the lease would subsequently be transferred into Black Salt’s name.
“Despite years of chasing, legal work and repeated assurances that the transfer was in hand, it never happened,” the team says.
The restaurant says it subsequently became aware of further issues surrounding the property’s financial and tenancy arrangements, creating legal and financial complications that left the business increasingly vulnerable.
“When we finally managed to speak directly with the landlord, we were again given written assurances that a new lease would be granted to us and believed we could finally move forward,” the statement continues.
“Unfortunately, communication has since stopped and we have been unable to secure the lease needed to continue trading.”
The team says it received advice to close with immediate effect.
“What makes this especially difficult is that, in what has been an incredibly challenging environment for hospitality, Black Salt had built something really special,” it says.
“Thanks to all of you, it was a business we believed in and wanted to keep investing in – from refurbishments and improvements to continuing to grow what we had created.”
Black Salt Sheen Limited appointed Rupen Patel and Duncan Coutts of Coots & Boots as joint administrators on 15 September.
The Upper Richmond Road West restaurant launched in 2021 following the success of Michelin Bib Gourmand-holding Dastaan in Epsom.
It was created as a joint project between father-and-daughter team Sanjay Patel and Simeron Lily and Dastaan chefs and restaurateurs Sanjay Gour and Nand Kishor Semwal.
Black Salt attracted national attention, including favourable reviews from Jay Rayner during his time as The Observer’s restaurant critic and The Mail on Sunday critic Tom Parker Bowles.
Its menu spanned street food-inspired starters, tandoori dishes, curries and biryanis, with dishes including soft-shell crab with chilli and mustard tomato chutney; lamb shank nihari; and pork vindaloo.
Dastaan continues to trade.