Michelin restaurant slams ‘two Labour budgets’ for brutal ’cause of de | UK | News
A Michelin-recommended Chester restaurant has closed its doors after its founder said the government was punishing the wrong businesses, pointing directly to Labour’s latest budgets.
Christopher Laidler announced the immediate closure of Covino, the French-influenced small plates spot he founded in 2016, in a post on Instagram that placed the blame squarely at the government’s door.
“We were going to celebrate our 10th anniversary this December, but it didn’t happen that way,” he wrote. “For the avoidance of doubt, Covino’s ’cause of death’ is attributable to Labour’s last two budgets. In trying to do the right thing, they went after all the wrong people, something I will never forget or forgive them for.”
Paying tribute to those who have supported the restaurant over the decade, Laidler added: “Over the last decade, I have built extraordinary relationships with guests, staff and suppliers who I now consider great friends.
Chester jewelery bids farewell to customers
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us along this journey. Your custom was really geared towards things like my kids’ football boots – something the big companies can’t tell you, so keep supporting your local independents!”
He signed off with a personal message: “I will be spending some time licking my wounds, filing for bankruptcy, and most importantly, making up for lost time with my family, which has often taken second place to restaurants over the last 10 years.
“I’ll see you all again soon after we figure out what’s next. Good luck to everyone struggling in these testing times.”
Is this the first of Laidler’s restaurants to close?
It follows the closure of Laidler’s restaurant Climat in Manchester earlier this month, which Laidler closed after three and a half years, citing a “perfect storm” of pressures facing the industry.
Industry data from NIQ’s Hospitality Market Monitor makes clear the scale of the crisis – the UK lost 3.4 licensed accommodation venues per day in the opening quarter of 2026, a period when the overall sector shrank by 0.3 per cent.
