Simon Rimmer opens up on 'crisis' after 'heartbreaking' Greens closure on Good Morning Britain

The celebrity chef who took the 'heartbreaking' decision to close a long-established Didsbury restaurant says the hospitality industry is facing a 'crisis'. Sunday Brunch presenter Simon Rimmer ran Greens, on Lapwing Lane, for 33 years with business partner, Simon Connolly.

But faced with a rent increase of 35 per cent and battling the recent surge in energy costs, the popular vegetarian restaurant closed its doors for the final time last week. Simon Rimmer told ITV's Good Morning Britain of his fears for the hospitality industry.

"It's heartbreaking," he told presenters Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley this morning (January 10). "At the end of the day, we've been going for 33 years, and the restaurant is busy. It's not that we've closed because it isn't busy - we can't make enough money, or any money in fact really.

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"I cook on TV every single week and I have done for nearly 20 years... that brings people into the business. If we're having to close, then what are the chances for many other small independent hospitality businesses?"

Simon spoke of energy bills increasing by around '400 per cent on average' since the pandemic, while wages have 'rightly' increased as people 'need to earn a decent wage'. He also suggested supermarkets were now the 'main competitor' for restaurants like Greens, with 'decent food' on offer in meal deals with dessert and wine, for around £20.

While the West Didsbury restaurant closed last week, Simon's other Greens restaurant in Sale remains open. He suggested a VAT cut would 'really, really help' the hospitality industry, telling GMB: "If it was halved, if it was dropped from 20 to 10%, it would give us