The only restaurant in Essex to have a Michelin star, has had it taken away.

The Flitch of Bacon in Dunmow was among 20 restaurants to be demoted in the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2021.

The star was awarded in 2018 and was the only restaurant in Essex to have it.

Instead it now has a Michelin Plate award.

A further 16 restaurants were unsurprisingly deleted due to closures following a tumultuous year for hospitality.

The industry was unsure whether Michelin would delete any stars this year, due to the stress placed on restaurants due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Michelin deletions in full:

  • The Greenhouse, Mayfair, London (closed)
  • Umu, Mayfair, London (demoted to one star)
  • Ledbury, North Kensington, London (closed)
  • Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac, Cornwall (closed) reopened as Outlaws New Road, awarded one star
  • Alyn Williams at the Westbury, Mayfair, London (closed)
  • The Square, Mayfair, London (closed)
  • Roganic, Regent's Park and Marylebone, London (closed)
  • Texture, Regent's Park and Marylebone (closed)
  • Social Eating House, Soho, London
  • Aquavit, St James's, London
  • Matt Worswick at the Latymer, Bagshot (closed – reopened as Steve Smith at Latymer, awarded one star)
  • Wilks, Bristol (closed)
  • Pony & Trap, Chew Magna (closed)
  • Red Lion Freehouse, East Chisenbury
  • Flitch of Bacon, Little Dunmow, Essex
  • Oxford Kitchen, Oxford (closed)
  • Black Rat, Winchester
  • Braidwoods, Dalry, Scotland (closed)
  • James Sommerin, Penarth, Wales (closed)
  • Mews, Baltimore, Northern Ireland (closed)

Michelin claimed it started work on the 2021 guide in August 2019, meaning many of its inspections had been completed by the time restaurants were forced to close in March.