Saturday Kitchen, Sunday Closed - James Martin's Manchester restaurant shuts after 14 years

End of an era at the Great Northern Warehouse. James Martin's restaurant at the Manchester235 casino on Watson Street has closed, ending a partnership that began in 2012, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Casino operator Metropolitan Gaming confirmed the closure on 1 October. It thanked the chef and his team, past and present, and described the partnership as successful and valued. Before Manchester, the restaurant had been in a casino in Leeds. In Manchester it served British food under the vaulted brick ceilings of a Grade II-listed warehouse, along with tasting menus, Sunday lunches, afternoon tea and a chef's table.

If you had a booking, Manchester235 says it will get in touch with you directly. Anyone with money left on a James Martin gift card will get a refund. James himself hasn't publicly commented yet. He's still a familiar face on telly, fronting James Martin's Saturday Morning on ITV.

So what for hospo people? Here's the bit that matters most. The casino says all the staff affected by the closure have been kept on within the wider business. When a venue shuts overnight, that isn't always how it goes, so fair play. And if you've got a gift card gathering dust in a drawer, now's the time to claim that refund.