WORCESTER’S best-known businessman is planning to sell a high-end restaurant in the city centre.

Talks have already been held with one or two people in the industry about buying the Glasshouse off Cecil Duckworth.

The Worcester Warriors rugby club owner is currently seeking permission to remove an obstructive planning condition – which effectively makes selling the business in its current form impossible.

It says that once the premises known as Danesbury House in Sidbury is no longer occupied by the Glasshouse, it will have to close down while all of the equipment inside will have to be removed – meaning Mr Duckworth would stand to lose at least £120,000.

The condition was added in because the city council was concerned about a lower-end eaterie opening up in a key location.

If that stays and Mr Duckworth does sell up, he would lose £70,000 spent kitting out the kitchen to the high standard demanded of award-winning chef and former partner Shaun Hill, while a further £50,000 was splashed out on sprucing up the bar and restaurant.

When your Worcester News asked Mr Duckworth if he was looking to sell up, he said: “Removing that condition would certainly make that possible – we would be free to do that if we wanted.

“We have talked to one or two people in the business, which we are not. I only ever intended it to be a short-term thing because I am not a restaurateur so yes it’s true, I am looking to sell.”

Mr Duckworth acknowledged the city council wanted the premises to remain a top-end restaurant.

“It is set up to do that, so it’d be a bit silly to change it really,” he said.

“Any potential change wouldn’t change the quality of restaurant, indeed it might hopefully be enhanced.”

Mr Duckworth says he envisages the Glasshouse – which is still open for business – to continue as it is rather than changing name and direction altogether and says he thinks the team currently in place are doing a good job.

The Glasshouse opened with fanfare in November 2006 but Mr Hill stopped working at the restaurant in August 2009 and it has undergone numerous management changes over the years.