THE Botanist has announced the shock closure of two popular bars.
Bars in Knutsford and Alderley Edge suddenly shut their doors on Thursday.
Owners New World Trading Company said the closures announced on Thursday were part of a restructuring operation.
The Cheshire-based operator said the ‘difficult decision’ was due to a number of factors that had impacted the sector over the past four years.
Covid, inflation and the cost of living crisis, they said, had affected trading at its smaller sites.
Customers who had booked Christmas meals and family celebrations said they were ‘shocked and saddened’ to see the popular bars go.
One regular said: “It was great as a wine bar we loved it.”
A sign on the door of the Knutsford Botanist on King Street said: ‘The Botanist Knutsford is closed for the foreseeable future.”
Staff in Alderley Edge on London Road were told they had until the end of Thursday before it would be closing for good.
The Lost and Found bar in Knutsford said they had been overwhelmed with enquiries from people looking to book nights out.
A spokesman for the Princess Street cocktail bar said: “We have been inundated with calls for bookings after the news that The Botanist Knutsford and Alderley Edge have sadly closed their doors.
“We realise this will leave a lot of customers without somewhere to go for their Christmas parties.
“We will have some availability for the rest of the year.”
A spokesman for New World Trading Company said: “As we move forward as a business with a clear growth strategy for 2025 and beyond, we have made the difficult decision to close three smaller sites, including Alderley Edge and Knutsford.
“The welfare of our teams is our number one priority, and we will be offering alternative roles within out other sites to those that are impacted.
“The restructure doesn’t affect our Media City site and we’re looking forward to welcoming our valued guests to The Botanist throughout the festive period.
“The business is evolving from its pub-inspired origins into a large, city-centre restaurant restaurant and bar operator.
“We continue to have a much-loved brand in The Botanist and will be focusing all future openings on this brand.”
Other Botanist sites including Warrington and Chester are unaffected by the closures.
The Botanist took over the former Knutsford Wine Bar in 2016 and was famed for its plant-themed interior and botanical cocktails.
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