Celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo's Italian fine dining restaurant Luciano has closed its doors for good in Alderley Edge - after a final Valentine's night dinner service. The venue bowed out sending a message to email subscribers with the word "grazie" - the Italian word for thank you.
New owners, famed Italian restaurant group San Carlo, have now taken the keys to the venue, at its prominent site on London Road in the upmarket Cheshire village. They are now to spend the next five weeks on a mini-refurbishment, with the aim to reopen to diners in the run-up to Easter.
Gino's Luciano concept had only been open for just over a year in Alderley Edge when the shock announcement was made last week that it was to close - with a deal agreed for San Carlo to take over. The restaurant's owners said in a statement that they were to instead concentrate on "opening upmarket restaurants in national and international major cities."
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Gino himself has not yet publicly commented on the closure of the Alderley Edge site, which was the second Luciano after his flagship in London. The restaurant is named after his eldest son, and Gino has previously revealed plans to open the next site with a three-floor "super Italian" on John Dalton Street in Manchester city centre.
But an email sent out to restaurant subscribers yesterday from Luciano started with a message entitled "Grazie" and said: "We've got a little news".
It said: "We're on the move. As part of our plans to open upmarket restaurants in London, major UK, and international cities, including our imminent openings in Manchester and Leeds, we are to say a fond farewell to Alderley Edge.
"It's been a pleasure and a privilege to host you, our valued guests, and we'd like to thank you for celebrating so many special occasions with us at Luciano. For now its over to the new owners, San Carlo, for whom we could not think of a better home for this fabulous location.
"We look forward to revealing more as to our plans for Manchester soon, and of course, to inviting you to join us at the launch." It added that staff at Lucianos would be staying on with the new owners San Carlo.
The takeover deal was confirmed by both parties last Thursday, February 9. A joint statement released that day said: "Leading upmarket restaurant operator San Carlo has acquired iconic Alderley Edge restaurant Luciano.
"The deal is part of the (Luciano) business’s strategy to focus on opening upmarket restaurants in national and international major cities."
Steven Walker, Chairman of Gino D’Acampo’s growing restaurant business, said: “The deal is part of our strategy to focus on opening upmarket restaurants in central London and major UK cities such as our imminent openings in Leeds and Manchester, together with international locations. I wish Marcello and his father Carlo the very best of success for the future and could not think of a better home for this fabulous location."
Commenting on the deal, Marcello Distefano, Managing Director of San Carlo, said: “We are delighted to acquire such a prominent location in our heartland the North West and look forward to welcoming it into our Italian family.”
The statement concluded: "After 20 years of competing with each other at the top of the premium Italian dining scene, Steven and Marcello see this as the start of a collaboration as they eye further opportunities together in the UK and overseas."
The restaurant sits at a prime spot on Alderley Edge's main London Road, with a sprawling outdoor terrace. It is also sits conveniently right next to Alderley Edge train station.
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