Christopher’s Covent Garden martini bar to close after 35 years

# What's happening Christopher's, the martini bar and restaurant on Wellington Street in Covent Garden, is closing its doors after 35 years. The team announced on Instagram that the Covent Garden site will shut at the end of this month.

# Where it sits in the city The venue occupies a Grade II listed three-storey building opposite the Lyceum Theatre. The building originally opened in 1870 as London's first licensed casino and has been repurposed several times since, including a period as a papier-mâché factory. Christopher's took over the site in 1991 and split the floors into a martini bar, an American restaurant and a private Club Room.

# Recent changes and the final run Christopher's underwent a major refurbishment in 2013. The owners' social post made clear they are saying goodbye to the Wellington Street premises but are "actively exploring a new home" for the restaurant and bar. No timetable or location has been given for any relocation.

# Immediate practical details

• Final service: the Covent Garden bar will close at the end of this month. Patrons who want one last martini should plan to visit before then.

# What the building might mean for the neighbourhood End theatre and occupies a historically notable building. Time Out said it will watch what new identity the site takes next, but there are no public details on incoming tenants or reuse plans.

# How this fits broader London hospitality news This closure joins a series of recent stories about long-standing and independent hospitality venues in London changing status or closing. Time Out published related items about other closures and openings around the same period, including other Covent Garden businesses facing financial uncertainty.

# What to do if you want to visit

# Bottom line Christopher's is leaving its Wellington Street premises after three-and-a-half decades but the operators plan to continue the brand elsewhere. For now, the Covent Garden location will close at the end of this month and no replacement site has been announced.