hould you pay further for consuming alone? That’s the query at many high-end London eating places this week after the 2 Michelin-starred Lodge Café Royal introduced it will cost solo diners double.
The restaurant, run by Alex Dilling close to Regent Road, costs £350 to diners who need to eat on their very own, the identical value two would pay for the £175 tasting menu. It says that rising costs are guilty, and that individuals at a desk for one take up the identical house as two. The positioning has beforehand hosted events with Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn, above.
The restaurant scene has responded, with Farringdon’s Brutto providing a free spritz to individuals who come to eat alone. “Solo diners at all times welcome,” it mentioned on-line.
The Londoner referred to as round eating places, asking if they might take into account doing the identical as Lodge Café Royal. La Gavroche and Sketch informed us no. After we rang The Dorchester, they appeared shocked by the notion of any surcharge on solo eating.
However some have backed Dilling’s choice. Ex-Sunday Occasions critic Marina O’Loughlin mentioned on-line: “Having met a number of of the individuals who fall into the ‘solo positive diners’ class, I believe Alex Dilling is true to cost ’em like a rhino”. She went on: “Overwhelmingly, they’re joyless, pretentious box-tickers… they will afford it.”
Podcasters hold forth over awards’ £300 payment
Jon Sopel and Emily Maitlis after they introduced they’re leaving the BBC to hitch media group World (World/PA)
/ PA MediaAnger on the British Podcast Awards, the place folks within the trade are being charged greater than £300 to attend a lavish ceremony even when they’re nominated.
A podcast maker who’s up for the rising star award mentioned “the nomination is barely soured by the actual fact I can’t afford to go”, whereas the supervisor of a podcast firm mentioned the value of entry was “extortionate”.
One one that judged in earlier years mentioned they have been anticipated to do an excessive amount of work totally free this time, so opted out. Elizabeth Day is chair of the judges. Emily Maitlis, proper, and Jon Sopel’s podcast The Information Brokers seems to be set to wash up, having been nominated for 3 awards.
Organisers Haymarket, who purchased the corporate that runs the awards final 12 months, inform us that they’re working a bursary scheme to assist with tickets. In addition they promise “limitless food and drinks, nice leisure and an after-party”. £300 price?
Londoner’s Diary twenty sixth July 23
CINEWORLD in Leicester Sq. received a spooky makeover final evening for the premiere of latest Disney movie Haunted Mansion, a supernatural horror comedy starring Owen Wilson and Danny DeVito. Gravestones adorned the sq. and the within of the cinema was lined in cobwebs. The movie is a remake of an Eddie Murphy flick from 2003. Out on the blood purple carpet have been Channel 5 information presenter Dan Walker, Strictly Come Dancing’s Neil Jones, together with his pregnant accomplice Chyna Mills, singer Michelle Heaton together with her kids, and presenter Olivia Cox.
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