Friends Restaurant sold

Friends Restaurant has sold for about $400,000, but its owners Clyde and Lesley Bevan will continue to be major players in Perth’s hospitality scene.

The fine dining restaurant’s head chef Graham Jessop, who previously worked as a sous chef for Heston Blumenthal in London, has bought the business.

Business News revealed in April that Bevans intended to sell the restaurant, after running the business for more than 25 years.

Mr Bevan said it was a tough market to sell, with at least one offer falling over.

“It was a very difficult time to sell a restaurant … we had three or four people very interested, then COVID struck,” he said.

“It was our chef who purchased the business so he knew it was very strong [and] he comes with a lot of experience.

“It’s in a wonderful location, it’s a great part of the city.”

Friends was famous for its live music, with bands including Thirsty Merc and Led Zeppelin tribute bands performing at the intimate dining establishment.

Clyde Bevan. 

Mr Bevan said live music would no longer be a part of Friends as it moved into new ownership next month, but he said he was in talks with Matilda Bay Restaurant to continue hosting concerts.

He said the Crawley venue could host up to 120 people, well above Friends’ upper floor capacity of about 70 diners.

Artists including Diesel and Thirsty Merc are expected to perform at Matilda Bay this year.

The Friends deal is expected to settle at the end of this month.

Mr Bevan will also continue in his capacity as a City of Perth councillor and as a consultant.