Tampopo closes Piccadilly Gardens restaurant that was ‘in the eye of the storm’

In a statement, company founder David Fox said he had “no option” but to close the restaurant after talks collapsed between him and his landlord, Legal & General (L&G).

Fox said he had asked L&G to see if they would consider a turnover-based rent, but that this was rejected “with no alternative offer suggested”.

Instead, Fox said that the landlord was seeking full payment of rent and service charge, including for the period the restaurant was forced to close because of lockdown.

"In my opinion for a landlord with less than 8% of its portfolio in city centre retail and leisure this is neither fair nor reasonable. This has left me with no option but to close the site,” he said.

The Piccadilly Gardens restaurant opened in the summer of 2018​​ and marked the fifth venue for the largely Manchester-based restaurant group, which was founded in Manchester’s Albert Square more than 20 years ago.

"My thanks go to the Tampopo Piccadilly team that have worked their hearts out to try and make the site work. It has been a difficult site to operate.

“It was in the eye of the storm of Piccadilly Gardens.”

Fox added that the pandemic had delayed the council’s plans to redevelop Piccadilly Gardens and that the lack of office workers, on which trade in the area relies, and visitors to the city had made it impossible for him to trade there.

"This makes the landlord's decision to not offer any support all the more short sighted."