D&D quietly shutters Canary Wharf restaurant Plateau - updated

05-Jul-2023 - Last updated on 06-Jul-2023 at 10:10 GMT

Picture credit: danddlondon.com

D&D London has quietly closed its contemporary French-style restaurant Plateau in London’s Canary Wharf.

Restaurant understands that the long-running D&D site, which overlooked Canada Square, closed in recent days.

All mention of Plateau has been removed from D&D’s website and social media channels, and the restaurant is listed as ‘permanently closed’ on Google.

It is the sixth restaurant in D&D’s portfolio to shut its doors this year. Back in January it was revealed that its Avenue and Radici restaurants in London had closed alongside East 59th in Leeds and Klosterhaus in Bristol as part of a strategic review of the group’s portfolio.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, it was confirmed that its Cantina del Ponte site near Tower Bridge had also closed and subsequently been acquired by Sticky Mango chef restaurateur Peter Lloyd.

The latest closures come after D&D appointed advisors from Interpath Advisory’s corporate finance practice last month to explore raising new finance following the departure of its long-term backer LDC.

At the time, D&D London CEO David Loewi said he was ‘very optimistic’ about the future of the business.

“The UK hospitality business has been through a tough period with continuing industrial action, the wettest spring in 40 years according to the BBC, food, drink and utility inflation, and the Ukraine war … but we have also seen as soon as the sun shines a 30% turnover upside in our numbers, with our terraces packed, exceeding our forecasts,” he said.

Update: In a statement provided to Restaurant on 6 July following the publication of this story, Loewi cited the 'major impact' of Covid-19 on the corporate market and footfall in the city as being behind the decision to close Plateau.

He said: “Plateau has been a much-loved Canary Wharf restaurant for city dining, drinking and events since D&D acquired the site in 2006.

“But as we all know Covid-19 had a major impact on the corporate market and footfall in the city has fallen, alongside other economic challenges and the unstable labour market we have sadly, after much consideration, decided to cease trading in this restaurant.”

Loewi added that staff at Plateau would be offered other roles within the D&D group, wherever possible.