THE Med, Malmesbury's newest restaurant, has closed after just eight months and only weeks after Prince Harry ate there with pals.

Owner Sally Marks, who opened the Continental-style restaurant on December 1 last year, has blamed lack of lunchtime trade for the closure.

The modern restaurant, in Silver Street, served its final customer on Saturday before closing its doors for the last time.

Ms Marks said it would not reopen. She said the staff chef Chris Longbottom and manager Sarah Lewis as well as part-time waiters and waitresses, had been told three weeks ago the restaurant was to close.

The freehold on the restaurant has gone up for sale for £225,000 this week.

"We have closed The Med because it has not been as busy as we hoped it would be," said Ms Marks. "We have not got the lunchtime trade that we had hoped for and the overheads on the business were just too high.

"I could have waited until Christmas to close it, but I've done it now because it simply was not making enough money to continue."

A member of staff, who did not wish to be named, said she felt let down by the closure. "We had been talking about closing it because business has not been as good as it could have been," said the employee.

"Sally expected to make more money, but it hasn't worked out. We're all very disappointed."

Ms Marks, speaking when The Med opened, said it would have an Italian flavour but serve mainly English food.

At the time she said that the intention was to give Malmesbury another restaurant after the closure of the popular La Flamb in Market Cross created a gap in the market.

Prince Harry visited The Med on July 8, a Monday night, with eight friends, to celebrate one of the group's birthday.

Staff had been amused when the prince and his pals only left a £2 tip, scattered across a table, after paying £200 for the meal. But Ms Marks said any increased trade attracted by the prince's appearance would not have made any difference to the closure.

"I don't know where people have been going for lunch, but it has not been The Med," added the restaurateur, who also owns The Summer Caf, in the High Street, which opened four- and-a-half years ago, and Caf Rocco, in Cirencester.

She said The Summer Caf would not be closing. "We are consolidating," she added. "It is very disappointing to have had to close it (The Med) because we had high hopes for the restaurant, but I had to make a business decision."

Ms Marks said The Med had been running at a loss and was being paid for over recent months by her other two restaurants. "I will not be opening another restaurant in the town, no way," added Ms Marks. "The Med is a lovely restaurant and if a couple can take it, it could be a success."

Miss Marks has also withdrawn plans to expand the Summer Caf, blaming it on an uncertain level of future trade following the decision by Dyson to stop making vacuum cleaners at its town factory. However, she said the Dyson redundancies had nothing to do with The Med closure.

Chamber of Commerce chairman Alan Woodward said: "It is a shame that this has happened as it cuts down the number of food outlets we have in the town."

dvaller@newswilts.co.uk