TRIBUTES have poured in for much-loved restaurateur Andrew Edmunds, who died aged 79 over the weekend. His self-titled restaurant, often called one of the most romantic in London, is a stalwart of old Soho.
Last night friends and regulars held impromptu drinks in his honour and memories were shared online. Writer Ed Caesar recalled being “dragooned” into moving in some new fridges in exchange for a delicious lamb chop dinner.
The restaurant plans to stay open: when we called this morning, a chef was in the kitchen, while a spokesperson told us “of course” it would keep going. “Through thick or thin, Andrew would never want the restaurant to close. We will remain open as he intended.”
But all agree that the death of Edmunds, who has run the place hands-on since 1985, will leave a big hole. His fiefdom on Lexington Street, which comprises the restaurant, a next-door print-shop and the Academy Club upstairs, is in two 18th-century houses worth millions of pounds.
Jodie Comer’s imposter syndrome
ACTOR Jodie Comer was thrilled to win a The Stage Debut award for her role in Prima Facie on Sunday night, saying she once thought theatre was “something I wasn’t educated in enough to do” as she didn’t go to drama school. Host Susan Wokoma got laughs as she said The Stage brought the Spice Girls together. The group said they all read a classified ad in the mag which led them to audition.
No rest for PM Truss
There’s no rest for Liz Truss, in New York today for a UN summit. At home, not all Tory MPs have the PM’s back, with pensions minister Guy Opperman revealing he’s been relieved of his duties today. Opperman backed Rishi Sunak for PM, calling Truss’s economic plans “a real worry”. “The consequences if this goes wrong are severe, as anyone who remembers the Seventies knows,” he said. How cheering.
London Fashion Week fights on, though with no parties
London Fashion Week went ahead despite a sombre mood cast by the period of national mourning. All events were cancelled yesterday for the funeral but on Sunday Vogue editor Edward Enninful struck a pose with entrepreneur Tania Fares at the David Koma SS23 show. Radio 1’s Clara Amfo and actor Cush Jumbo were there too. Model Adwoa Aboah and singer Joy Crookes were at the 16Arlington show. Alexa Chung wore sunglasses indoors at the Nensi Dojaka show while, up in Camden, model Jourdan Dunn turned out for Christopher Kane. It’s A Sin actor Omari Douglas was at the British Museum for ERDEM’s show. On Saturday, radio presenter Vick Hope attended the Rixo presentation. Milan Fashion Week starts tomorrow.
