Chester Northgate’s flagship bar and restaurant North Light has announced its closure. The surprising news comes as the restaurant’s ownership group, The Botanist, continues to scale back.
North Light was one of the most highly anticipated arrivals to the city’s new Northgate development back in 2023 and was given a prime centre spot in the Coachworks Arcade.
However, after less than two years, the The Botanist has announced its closure. Bars run by the group have also closed in Alderley Edge, Sheffield, and Coventry.
Their closure comes as part of a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) approved in October by its creditors to clear debts over a set period.
A statement from the company said: “New World Trading Company launched a CVA in October 2024 which was approved by more than 95% of all responding creditors. As part of the successful CVA process, the business has announced a further 3 non-profitable sites will close during January.”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
“The business has undergone changes to its estate across the last 18 months including successfully rebranding The Club House, The Smugglers Cove, and The Canal House to The Botanist.”
“NWTC has opened new locations under the Botanist brand in Edinburgh, Sunderland and Barnsley and will continue to expand in 2025 with a new Botanist opening in Bournemouth in May 2025.”
Alderley Edge was the location for the very first The Botanist when it was launched by Living Ventures as a new concept amid a blaze of publicity back in 2012. Knutsford followed in 2016.
Since then, the group has grown with sites across the country, and is now under the umbrella of New World Trading Company. It continues to operate 28 sites across the UK.
Bosses have also confirmed that its The Furnace bar in Sheffield is to be converted into The Botanist in February following the closure of the original Botanist bar.
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