Covent Garden Restaurants (CGR) has sold its landmark venues the Rock Garden and the Gardening Club to Apple for an undisclosed sum.
Apple, which plans to open the site as a 25,000sq ft retail store at the end of 2009, has leased the property from Capital and Countries, a subsidiary of Liberty International, which acquired CGR in December 2007 in a deal valued at over £20m.
The restaurant and nightclub closed on New Years Eve after trading for 30 years.
Hugh Fowler, managing director of CGR, said that the company was not planning to dispose of any of its other sites that include a clutch of restaurants and bars in central London.
He said that the group is still look to roll out its Fire & Stone pizza concept and is continuing to look for new sites following the opening of the brand in Westfield.
Fowler said: “Most importantly I think if you can stand still in this climate then you are doing well.”
