ALL the lines of communication are down, the website has vanished like a puff of smoke and an insider has confirmed the demise of perhaps the most beautiful dining space in the city.
"Once the manager was moved to Harrogate it all went downhill and staff started jumping ship"
Room Restaurant in the old Reform Club at the top end of King Street - run by the Harrogate-based HRH Group - has gone dark.
Despite some excellent food, a good bar and that jaw-dropping interior, the last few years have seen the under-financed restaurant struggle.
Anybody with eyes to see could spot that things haven't been right recently, the shaky staircase, toilets and entrance area in particular were in desperate need of updating.
The closure is a shame for the city and a tragedy for the staff who as far as Confidential is concerned always provided warm hospitality. Best of luck to them.
Confidential spoke to a former employee of the restaurant who, along with a number of colleagues, chose to leave the restaurant in recent months: "The Harrogate head office simply did not have a clue about the Manchester restaurant scene," the person told us. "When they did make a small refurb investment it just wasn't enough to compete. The former-General Manager and the staff had been keeping that place going for years, without them the place would have failed ages ago. Once the manager was moved to Harrogate it all went downhill and staff started jumping ship.
"The staff had no idea they'd lost their jobs until they turned up today (Monday 12 January), which is awful considering the company had been in the day before to strip the place. That building deserves more."
Room restaurant, King StreetThe building began life as the Reform Club in a style called Venetian Gothic in 1871. The mad piece of High Victoriana has wild turrets on the two front corners, sculptured panels, granite pillars and carvings writhing all over its surface. Its architect was Edward Salomons. It was built as the city headquarters for the Liberal Party. On the first floor is a balcony from which such figures as William Gladstone, Winston Churchill and Lloyd George spoke.
Behind the balcony is the magnificent dining room of the club with its huge oak ceiling. Several years ago this became the notorious Reform Restaurant, an extravagant exercise in good food swilled down with buckets of champagne. After an encouraging start, Reform gained a troubled reputation. Room restored the reputation.
Confidential thinks this is too good a site to remain empty for long. Let's just hope an aspirational restaurant will occupy the site not some off the peg number with scant regard for the beauty of the place.
