WE sincerely hope Randall & Aubin overcomes its current troubles, having apparently been put up for sale. The city sorely needs to keep a restaurant that sources and treats fish so seriously.
If it does go under, ToM is prepared to put in an offer for the glitzy mirror ball they had difficulty squeezing into the Bridge Street site when this franchise spin-off of the Soho original launched in May 2017.
It was all so different back then. R&A was one of the truly welcome newcomers from London – distinctive, ‘not a roll-out brand’. Summed up by the quirkiness of that mirror ball, a replica of the one in Soho and the quality of the seafood platters.
Now there are mixed messages coming out after bosses called in Nottingham-based insolvency practice, CFS Restructuring, to oversee a sale. According to CFS listing the business has accumulated losses of £669,000 despite turning over £1.44m.
But according to the Manchester Evening News a new operator is already lined up and the franchise would continue to be run under the Randall & Aubin name.
This positive news came from Randall & Aubin co-owner Ed Baines, who founded the acclaimed restaurant 22 years ago in an old French butchers inn Soho.He says he will be in the Manchester kitchen from next week to ensure a smooth handover.
Randall and Aubin, 64 Bridge St, Manchester M3. 0161 711 1007.