Owner Joe Lambert points to “onerous administrative tasks imposed by the council and government.
Lamberts, which served the Balham community the food it wanted to eat for 17 years, has closed.
In an email sent to customers, owner Joe Lambert cites the “current economic climate of ever increasing operating costs, relentless bureaucratic costs and onerous administrative tasks imposed by the council and government” as the reason that “we have been forced into this position. I had always hoped to make it to 20 years.... but alas, it is not to be.”
Tributes from local residents and food writers alike have poured in across Twitter in response to the announcement.
In the email, Lambert thanked customers and staff for all their support and contribution, and paid tribute to suppliers for providing excellent British produce — a task that “has been a challenge to only use British produce and follow the British seasons so religiously, not to mention doing it for 17 years, long before it became so fashionable, but a very rewarding challenge.”
Lambert also mentioned that he will continue his “culinary journey” at his Firepit popup at The Inkspot Brewery, and to keep an eye out for news.
Photo: Notice on door at Lamberts