Mark Hix, who closed his entire restaurant group in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, has announced he will reopen the Oyster & Fish House in Lyme Regis, Dorset, on July 28.

The restaurateur and chef will reopen at the site of his former Hix Oyster & Fish House, a terraced seafood fixture overlooking Lyme Regis harbour.

In its second form, the restaurant will be similar to its predecessor, serving seasonal, local produce alongside seafood caught in Lyme Bay and along the Dorset coast. House smoked salmon, Fish House pie, and platters of oysters will return, as will whole fish roasted and kept on the bone.

Hix closed his long-running restaurant empire in April after the business went into administration. The chef said he was “devastated” by the decision.

“The Fish House has always been a very important restaurant to me and was the second restaurant I opened in 2008,” he added.

“Now it’s time to look to the future and new beginnings. I am looking forward to opening a fish and seafood restaurant again, despite the challenges all restaurateurs are facing at the moment.

“This restaurant means a lot to me. It’s like going back to the good old days – no investors, just me and my team.”

Hix’s group closed in hardship but his restaurants had also fallen behind in recent years. His Lyme Regis restaurant was always one of the better performing, popular with supportive locals and tourists. With one site to play with, Hix will, we hope, go back to the food and mindset that allowed him to expand in the first place.

The new restaurant will be open seven days a week.