A Michelin-starred restaurant has suddenly closed with its ‘devastated’ owner blaming Labour’s ‘never-ending’ tax hikes.
Sorrel, in Dorking, Surrey, told diners this week in an email that their upcoming booking had been cancelled after making ‘the very difficult decision’ to close with immediate effect.
Owner and Marco Pierre White prodigy Steve Drake, who penned the message, said they ‘have lost a lot of money trying to keep it afloat’ and that ‘the financials of running an independent restaurant simply don’t work’.
The celebrated chef, who has earned three Michelin stars and previously worked at The Ritz, described the closure as ‘pretty devastating’ and ‘like a bereavement’.
He blamed Labour’s National Insurance and minimum wage hikes and said the business had ‘run out of money’.
The restaurant opened in the Surrey Hills market town in 2017 in a Grade II-listed 18th-century red-brick building with exposed wooden beams on the ceiling.
Named after Mr Drake’s favourite herb, it quickly won rave reviews for its ‘exquisite’ inventive dishes.
Within two years, it was awarded the coveted Michelin star with the guide heaping praise on the ‘intricate dishes’.
Sorrel, in Dorking, Surrey, told diners this week in an email that their upcoming booking had been cancelled after making ‘the very difficult decision’ to close with immediate effect
Owner and Marco Pierre White prodigy Steve Drake said they ‘have lost a lot of money trying to keep it afloat’ and that ‘the financials of running an independent restaurant simply don’t work’
Mr Drake said the business had been struggling financially for the last few years. He had hoped a new investor would have been able to save the business when he put it up for sale this May for £195,000.
But he said Labour’s tax hikes made him feel like the hurdles at every turn were ‘never-ending’.
Mr Drake described the last few days as ‘pretty rough’ after he told his workforce of ten full-time staff and six casual employees that they were now unemployed.
He told The Staff Canteen they see him ‘as Satan’ and he had taken ‘a bit of flak’.
‘And I think, who’s helped me? Nobody’s helped me,’ he said.
‘I’m on my own trying to keep a business afloat and suddenly I’m told, from April, you’ve got to put all the wages up and you’ve also got to pay more National Insurance contributions and we’re going to cut the rate relief on you as well.
‘It’s like, well, come on, you have to give me something back, please. And there’s nothing.’
Mr Drake announced last year he was stepping aside from the day-to-day running of the kitchen, with former MasterChef: The Professionals quarter-finalist Alex Payne taking over as chef-patron in June 2025.
The restaurant opened in the Surrey Hills market town in 2017 and quickly won rave reviews for its ‘exquisite’ inventive dishes
Within two years of opening, Sorrel was awarded the coveted Michelin star
Mr Payne posted a message on his Facebook yesterday to announce ‘our time at Sorrel has come to an unexpected and sudden end, due to financial difficulties of the business’.
‘Despite how this chapter has ended, I’m incredibly proud of everything we achieved together. It was a privilege to work alongside such a talented team, create unforgettable experiences for our guests, and gain our Michelin and AA accolades. Those memories and achievements are something I’ll always be grateful for,’ he said.
‘To everyone who supported us, dined with us, and followed the journey – thank you. It genuinely meant the world to all of us, especially those who have followed me and my team throughout the years.
‘As for me, I’m now looking ahead to my next opportunity. Sometimes life takes an unexpected turn. This wasn’t the plan, but I’m looking forward to seeing where the next chapter leads.’
