Property mogul closes London restaurant after disliking his meal

Most people would just leave a stingy tip but a snooty aristocrat who disliked a restaurant's food is closing it down.

Upper-crust property mogul Earl Cadogan turned his nose up after a meal at Oriel brasserie - which leases premises from him in Sloane Square, London.

And now the upmarket restaurant will shut next month after 25 years because landlord Cadogan Estates has decided not to renew its lease.



The wealthy Earl, 72, who owns 90 acres of property in the capital, said after dining there in May 2008: "I didn't like the food and the prices are far too high. I can tell you that we won't be renewing their lease when it expires in two years' time. We are going to have a new development there."

The Old Etonian, whose family's wealth is estimated at almost £3billion, has now followed through with his pledge and the French brasserie will close on February 26. But furious local residents have launched a petition against its closure.

Cadogan Estates spokesman Hugh Seaborn said: "Cadogan always looks for independent traders who tend to be more committed to producing good food."