Andrew Lloyd Webber teams up with Richard Caring on new restaurant venture

Musical maverick Andrew Lloyd Webber has teamed up with Richard Caring’s restaurant group, Caprice Holdings, to open a restaurant at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

The new restaurant will be installed in a building adjoining the theatre as part of Lloyd Webber’s £60 million refurbishment of the site.

The theatre, which is one of seven Lloyd Webber owns in London, is due to reopen next year.

The yet to be named restaurant will be operated by Caprice, which runs restaurants including The Ivy Collection, Sexy Fish, J Sheekey and Scott’s.

Commenting on the partnership, Lloyd Webber said: “I am delighted to announce this partnership with Richard Caring and Caprice Holdings. Richard is a brilliant restauranteur and showman, both of which are essential to ensuring the theatre will continue to be a vibrant part of Covent Garden life.

“He is behind many of the country’s most loved and entertaining restaurants, making it a perfect match to our ambitious project at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. I’m thrilled to be working together.”

Richard Caring, chairman of Caprice Holdings, added: “We at Caprice Holdings are honoured and excited to be working with Andrew Lloyd Webber. In this historic part of London, we hope to create something special and truly unique that will make you smile.”

This is not the first restaurant that Lloyd Webber has opened at one of his theatres. In 2017, his The Other Palace Theatre teamed up with Brixton restaurant Naughty Piglets to open a 65-cover restaurant called The Other Naughty Piglet.

Run by husband and wife team Joe and Margaux Sharratt, the first floor site opened to widespread critical acclaim and focuses on small plates of seasonal produce paired with a natural and biodynamic-heavy wine list.