'Untenable' - TV chef Simon Rimmer's Greens in Sale announces shock closure with immediate effect

The shock closure comes only nine months after the flagship Greens restaurant in Didsbury shut its doors for good due to a rent increase of 35%. The Lapwing Lane restaurant was considered a local institution in South Manchester, having first opened in 1990. 

It seems that financial issues have also been a factor in the Sale restaurant’s closure. The Instagram post announcing the news said: “It is with deep regret that the board of directors and shareholders have decided to permanently close the doors on Greens Sale with immediate effect.  We’ve done everything possible to make this work, but it is now clear the business is untenable.”

The Sale location opened at Stanley Square in summer 2022. Like the flagship restaurant, it served up vegetarian and vegan dishes using locally sourced produce, and also boasted a bar with a wide selection of cocktails and craft beers. 

When the Greens Didsbury location shut at the start of 2024, co-owner Simon Rimmer spoke out publicly about the financial pressures restaurants are facing in the wake of both the coronavirus pandemic and the cost of living crisis, sparking wider discussion on the state of the hospitality industry. 

At the time, Rimmer appeared on Good Morning Britain, saying: “It’s heartbreaking. We have been going for thirty-three years and the restaurant is busy but we can’t make enough money, or any money in fact.”