Wimbledon chef who served gourmet meals to tennis stars abruptly closes restaurant after five years
Earlier this summer the chef was serving up food for VIP tennis players at the tournament.
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After five years, the restaurant closed its doors for the final time on August 9.
Heron, on Castle Street in Ryde, Isle of Wight was headed by chef Alex Kimber.
Statement from Heron
Alex and the team announced the closure on social media.
The post reads: "We are sorry to announce that today (Saturday) will be the last service for Herons Ryde Restaurant.
"Alex has had an amazing five years at Ryde, and it has helped to build the foundation for the rest of Heron's businesses across the Island, which are continuing to flourish and grow."
They went on to thank the dedicated team and loyal customers.
"Chef Alex and the rest of the team cannot thank everyone enough for their continued support over the years
"A huge thank you to all the staff who have worked for us over the years, we couldn't have done it without you!"
Response from customers
Customers expressed their sadness at the news.
One wrote: "This is such sad news, we had an amazing meal there on a trip to IoW last year and it was one of the best restaurants I've ever been to!"
Award-winning UK restaurant chain shuts ALL its sites as it goes bust after nearly a decade in business
While another commented: "So sorry to hear this but thank you for some truly excellent food (and wines) over the years, happy memories and for raising the Island food scene to new heights."
The wider brand
While the brand has continued to expand across the Isle of Wight, some of its branches have struggled.
Earlier this year, Heron Cowes also closed down.
It had operated for just nine months before it closed in February.
He went on to open Heron Smoke House at Robin Hill in May of this year.
It specialised in smoked island produce, located in an old storage building which was transformed into a rustic eatery.
Alongside this, he spent the summer working at Wimbledon as a chef for the tennis players.
The menu included meat supplied by Ryde-based Island Foods, sourced locally from nearby farms on the Isle of Wight.
Last year he also worked as a collaborator on Braai, a pop-up restaurant that focused on sustainable food.
Running from July to September 2024 it was set in a disused cattle shed on Nunwell Estate in Brading.
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