A HOSPICE has pulled out of a planned purchase of one of Wales’ best-known former restaurants – the Hardwick near Abergavenny.

Owned and run by top chef Stephen Terry and his family for 18 years, it closed suddenly last October – just months after its former office administrator was sentenced alongside her husband, a casual chef at the restaurant, for a fraud that cost the business £150,000.   

Mr Terry – TV chef Gordon Ramsay’s best man and a BBC Great British Menu winner – also revealed later that he and his wife had separated, and he had moved in with a woman 24 years his junior in Abergavenny.

The Hardwick won multiple awards, including a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide and Best Restaurant in Wales, and was ranked 19th best gastropub in the coveted Estrella Damm 50 Best Gastropubs list in 2020. 

Mr Terry, who trained under Marco Pierre White, also catered for world leaders, including then US president Barack Obama, at the Nato summit banquet in 2014.

In May it was revealed Newport-based St David’s Hospice Care intended buying the building to use as a day hospice as well as operate a cafe.

It would have also retained the self-catering holiday accommodation at the former pub, on the B4598 Abergavenny to Raglan road, previously known as the Horse and Jockey.   

A change of use application was submitted to Monmouthshire Council, which included sharing the kitchen between the day centre and cafe.

Nine jobs would have been created with six working in the day centre and three in the cafe which, according to the application, was intended to “be community-focused and aimed to be used by local residents who will drop off relatives in need of the day care service”.   

However, a letter sent on behalf of hospice chief executive Emma Saysell, to Monmouthshire’s planning department now says: “St David’s will not be proceeding with the purchase of The Hardwick and would therefore like to withdraw the current planning application with immediate effect.” 

St David’s Hospice Care declined to comment on the development. 

The business, including three-bedroom adjoining accommodation, was put up for sale for a reported £825,000, in February.