The owner of a Kenilworth fine dining pub has announced the closure of its sister restaurant in Birmingham.

Chef owner of The Cross in Kenilworth, Andreas Antona, announced yesterday (May 28) that his famous Simpsons eatery in Birmingham would close after 32 years.

The Cross - which claimed a Michelin star for the 12th consecutive year this spring - remains open.

The statement said: "It is with regret that I must announce the closure of Simpsons following 32 years in business.

"I didn't want it to end like this but with the economy as it stands, and so much time and money invested to keep us going, it is the most sensible decision.

"I put Simpsons on the market a year and a half ago, after ongoing health issues led me to re-evaluate where and how I needed to focus my time and energy."

Mr Antona said he had hoped a buyer would take over Simpsons and keep it open, but said there had been three aborted sales attempts leaving him with "no choice but to close the doors".

He continued: "Simpsons has been a huge part of my life for the past 32 years and I want to thank Luke, Steve and the team for maintaining the high standards that our guests expect during the toughest of economic times. I will always be grateful for your hard work and commitment.

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"I also want to extend my thanks to Simpsons alumni who played an important role in the restaurant's history. I am proud that Simpsons helped kickstart the successful careers for so many talented local chefs and front of house personnel.

"If it wasn't for the hard work of the team, digging deep into my own pockets and the loyalty and support of you, our wonderful guests, this moment would have arrived much sooner.

"In my 50 plus years in hospitality I have never known a more challenging economic climate for restaurants. Our many calls for reasonable government support have fallen on deaf ears.

"The joy and satisfaction of creating and running such a special restaurant for so long and meeting so many wonderful people along the way has made my time at Simpsons truly memorable. Thank you for being part of this journey.

"In the meantime, Simpson's sister restaurant The Cross at Kenilworth remains open as usual and ready to welcome guests new and old."