Sam Harrison, the restaurateur behind Chiswick’s Sam’s Brasserie and Harrison’s in Balham, is in talks with Hawksmoor duo Will Beckett and Huw Gott to sell both sites (subject to a full consultation with staff). If the sale goes ahead both venues will close their doors on Sunday 30 August.

Sam’s, a “consistently good neighbourhood brasserie”, “tucked away down an alleyway”, off Chiswick’s main drag, has been in operation for over 10 years. While “the Balham Set” (there is such a thing, apparently) have enjoyed the “always buzzing” Harrison’s for the past eight years.

Sam Harrison said: “I have decided it is time to pass on the baton to an exciting, young and vibrant company who think the same way as I always have about restaurants, customers and staff. I can’t tell you how much I’ve loved the last 10 years and am so immensely proud of everything we have achieved.

“I not only say goodbye to a business but to my second family – my staff, who have stayed with me over the years, and our many loyal customers, who treat the restaurants like a home away from home. I will truly miss you all and I thank you for your patronage and support.”

Adding to the restaurant scene in Chiswick and Balham will be two Foxlows (Hawksmoor’s sister restaurant group which recently launched an outpost on Stoke Newington’s Church Street).

Will Beckett said: “We are sorry to see Sam’s and Harrison’s close, but happy to see Sam getting his life back a bit! We’ve been friends for 10 years and have been to his restaurants many times – initially as young men enjoying a late night drink, lately as exhausted dads with our families, glad to have his amazing staff look after us and our kids.

“We’ve always really liked Sam’s restaurants and over a beer with Sam it became clear he was considering his options and deciding where the future might take him. We felt we could pick up where he left off – opening restaurants that are a genuine part of a vibrant community, where food, drink and service are always the most important things.  Sam liked the idea because it meant that he could sell the business he built and loves to people he knew, who would act honourably with him and treat his staff and customers with care and attention.”

If all goes ahead Sam’s and Harrison’s will close on 30 August and reopen as Foxlows in October/ November 2015.