Marco in row over office parties

Yesterday morning Quo Vadis in Soho was one of Marco Pierre White's flagship restaurants, with plenty of customers booked in for a meal over the Christmas period.

By the end of the morning it had been sold to another restaurant group, Conduit Street.

Before the day ended it had been sold on to yet another company, who immediately closed it down - forcing Pierre White to contact hundreds of customers to cancel their bookings.

As angry customers desperately try to find alternative venues - a near impossible task with most restaurants already booked up until the New Year - the three restaurant companies are embroiled in a furious war of words over whose fault it is.

The situation has been made worse after it emerged that Pierre White's company, White Star Line, continued to take bookings, claiming they were not told that new owners Sam and Eddie Hart were buying the restaurant, let alone planning to close it.

A spokesperson for Marco Pierre White said: "We sold Quo Vadis to Conduit-Street - the first we knew of the other buyer was today [Monday]."

Today Conduit Street, which also bought Mirabelle and Drones from Pierre White, and the Hart brothers blamed each other for the confusion.

Conduit Street, run by Stephen Schaffer and Joseph Ettedgui, claim they had "no idea" of the brothers' plans to immediately close the restaurant.

David Brody, a spokesperson for Conduit Street, said: "Restaurateurs are notoriously secretive about their plans. We knew they ran Spanish restaurants and it [Quo Vadis] was Italian, but we had no idea they would close over the Christmas period which is a very busy and profitable time of year. The brothers-came in with a good offer and we accepted. We were not told they were going to close."

But the Hart brothers hit back, blaming Conduit Street and White Star Line for not showing them the reservations book before the sale.

Sam Hart, whose company Hart Bros Ltd owns two other Soho restaurants Fino, in Charlotte Street, and Barrafina, in Frith Street, said: "It was always our intention to close for refurbishment. We made an offer to Conduit Street and I believe they were also aware that we would shut. I can't remember if they asked the question.

"If we had seen the reservations book earlier, maybe we could have made other arrangements." He said Conduit Street had been sent documents stating they wanted the stock removed, which they claim proved they must have known of their plans to close.

Furious customers criticised the new owners as they frantically searched for alternative venues.

Keith Johnston, 33, had booked a party for 85 people for tomorrow night. He said: "What am I supposed to do? I have 85 guests expecting a party and there is no way I can find anywhere else at this short notice. It is unbelievable - they are throwing their reputation away before they even open."

Mr Johnston, director of planning and communication for wealth management-company The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, said they may end up having to cancel. "There are some of the top lawyers in the world coming from America, the Caribbean, Europe, and we have nowhere to go. If we don't find a venue the whole thing will have to be called off."

The three companies spent last night calling customers to advise them of the closure, which will be in place until May next year.

Sam Hart said: "We have sat down with Conduit Street and White Star Line to see if we can get people bookings at other restaurants. The last thing we want to do is annoy everyone and ruin peoples' Christmas parties."