Alan Murchison to buy The New Angel in Dartmouth

Alan Murchison’s 10 in 8 Fine Dining Group is to acquire The New Angel restaurant with rooms in Dartmouth, with a view to reopening the “destination restaurant” in January.

The acquisition will mark the fourth restaurant business for the group, which aims to operate 10 Michelin-starred restaurants within eight years.

Murchison, who already operates the Michelin-starred L’Ortolan in Berkshire, La Becasse in Ludlow and Paris House in Woburn, said he would rename the restaurant The Carved Angel as a nod to it’s original title when run in the 70’s and 80’s by Joyce Molyneux.

“We’ve got an amazing iconic restaurant in a great location and we want to return it to its glory days,” he told BigHospitality. “It’s without doubt a cracking spot and the restaurant has a great history. It has in the past proven it’s a destination restaurant and that’s what we want it to become again.”

"Compelling" aim

Clive Jacobs, current owner of The New Angel who first bought the restaurant from John Burton-Race after it went into administration in 2007 , said 10 in 8’s vision to develop a collection of high-quality restaurants was “compelling”.

“I have no doubt that with Alan Murchison’s skills supported by a sound business infrastructure that The New Angel will go from strength to strength,” he said.

The restaurant and all six rooms will undergo a thorough refurbishment from mid-October until it’s opening in January.

The menu will be focused on fresh seafood sourced from the Dart Estuary, with a similar price point to 10 in 8’s other restaurants. Murchison hopes to offer a set lunch menu for £25, with a dinner a la carte menu from £50 per head.

Murchison added: “The menu will be of a very high standard and we will be looking for recognition from the guidebooks. It’s going to be a fine dining experience but relaxed. Our aim when we started this group was to open ten Michelin-starred restaurants in eight years, and we’ll do anything to make sure that happens.”

While a head chef has not been decided on yet, Murchison said he would likely appoint a long-standing chef from within the group.

History

Burton-Race bought The New Angel in 2005, but after his wife famously closed the restaurant whilst he appeared in TV show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, it went into administration. Jacobs subsequently bought the restaurant and Burton-Race stayed on as an executive chef until June this year, when he left to pursue a TV career and focus on consultancy projects.