The owner of a wine bar and restaurant in Lyme Regis – ran by Great British Menu star Harriet Mansell – is to close after four years. Mansell said there is “no sadness in closing” the Michelin-listed, 40 cover site Lilac which has gone on to become a popular eatery in the pretty seaside town in west Dorset.
Posting on Instagram she said: “There is no sadness in us closing, rather a gratitude and a trust in the process, there is the closing of a chapter, a clearing of space for what is to come. There are of course provisions for the future. If you would like to follow the journey and see what comes next, then head over and subscribe to my newsletter on my main website I will continue to communicate updates, but for now, what I can say is that I am excited to see us finish Lilac on a high.”
The talented chef plans to host a series of events on the first and last weekends of July to celebrate the restaurant ahead of its final service on August 3.
She added: “Across these weekends, myself and chefs will be preparing a very special tasting menu that truly speaks of the English summertime and is packed full of wild edible treats. It will be a weekend full of talks about wild foods and myself and chefs are working hard already to prepare, ferment, and preserve ingredients that will make their way to this menu.
“Think magnolias, ground ivy, wild alliums, seaweeds, forsythia and other flowers, grasses, and more. Until then, it’s business as usual.”
Known as the “Pearl of Dorset,” Lyme Regis is consistently ranked among the UK’s best destinations, celebrated for its scenic coastline, historic charm, and cosy atmosphere.
Sitting at the heart of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site stretching across England’s southern coast, the town’s 95 miles of coastline is well known for its fossil-rich beaches.
Famed for its stunnic cliffs and tourist enticing eateries, the town has plenty to offer the thousands of visitors it welcomes each year but from August, Lilac will no longer be one of those things.
Lilac has received a host of awards in the four years since it opened, including the Trencherman’s Award for creativity and innovation to accompany the listing in the Michelin Guide.
She told the Staff Canteen: “We won a Trencherman’s Award last year for creativity and innovation, and we’re always featured in the Good Food Guide, Michelin Guide and the SquareMeal Top 100.
“It’s a successful business. It’s been hugely popular here in Lyme Regis. And that’s not just down to me – it’s a testament to the people who’ve worked in that building over the last three years. They’ve made it what it is. I’ve been lucky to work with some incredibly talented and passionate people.
“We’re not closing Lilac because it failed – far from it. It’s done really well. But success isn’t just about staying open forever. Sometimes, success is knowing when to bow out gracefully. Just because something is going well doesn’t mean it has to go on and on. That’s not always sustainable either – emotionally, creatively, or physically.
“This feels like the right moment. I’ve always believed in seasonal change – not just in food, but in life. This is a new season.”
