A Michelen-listed restaurant has announced its shock closure just months after picking up a national award.
Gwen, the acclaimed Machynlleth restaurant crowned Wales' finest dining establishment in the Harden's guide for 2025, has revealed it will permanently close its doors in May.
The intimate venue, which also secured 24th position among the UK's top restaurants in the same guide, holds a coveted Michelin listing.
Chef Corrin Harrison, who launched the restaurant in 2023 after training at the renowned Ynyshir, confirmed the decision to cease operations.
The announcement stated it "felt like the right moment to end this chapter on a high".
Gwen operates as a sister venue to Ynyshir, the multiple Michelin-starred Ceredigion restaurant run by Gareth Ward, who co-owns the Machynlleth establishment alongside Amelia.
In his Instagram announcement, Mr Harrison expressed that the moment had arrived for him and his team to embark on a new venture.
"The past three years at Gwen have been amazing," he wrote.
Gwen provided an unusually intimate setting, accommodating just eight diners around a communal table for each service
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The chef conveyed deep appreciation for the autonomy he was granted over the food, beverages and overall atmosphere of the establishment, thanking Gareth and Amelia for that opportunity.
Mr Harrison emphasised that concluding operations voluntarily represented something uncommon within the hospitality sector.
"The chance to close the doors on our own terms is something rare in this industry and something we are incredibly proud to be able to do," he stated.
He added: "It feels like the right moment to end this chapter on a high and look ahead to what comes next."
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Gwen provided an unusually intimate setting, accommodating just eight diners around a communal table for each service.
Guests experienced a distinctive ten-course tasting menu priced at £135 per person, which the Michelin guide characterised as delivering "bold flavours, a good dose of creativity and no small amount of skill" in its February assessment.
The restaurant was conceived as a more approachable alternative to its parent establishment, with promotional material describing it as "more accessible than Ynyshir but equally inspirational".
Ward, whose Ynyshir is Wales' most decorated restaurant with multiple Michelin stars, established Gwen as a platform for Mr Harrison to develop his culinary vision independently and creatively.
The restaurant confirmed it would remain open into May, with the final service scheduled to follow the Machynlleth Comedy Festival.
The event takes place over the early May bank holiday weekend.
Mr Harrison paid tribute to the Welsh market town's residents in his farewell message.
"They say it takes a community to raise a child and the same goes for a restaurant and what a community Machynlleth is," he wrote.
"Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way."
The closure brings to an end a three-year chapter that saw the small venue punch well above its weight.
It earned recognition from both Harden's and Michelin while offering diners an experience that combined accessibility with the exacting standards associated with its celebrated sister restaurant.
However, the imminent closure coincides with other restaurants pulling up the shutters following a tough economic period for the hospitality sector.