Michelin-starred restaurant relocates from Birkenhead to Shropshire

Marc Wilkinson's restaurant Fraiche in Oxton closed ahead of the move

A Michelin-starred restaurant run by chef Marc Wilkinson is to move to Shropshire from its current home in Oxton, Birkenhead.

Mr Wilkinson said he was leaving Oxton with "many memories and pride".

The location for his new restaurant is yet to be disclosed but he said it would be set in the county's "stunning countryside".

Bookings will be released from 1 June and the new venue is due to open over the summer.

Fraiche was described by the Michelin guide as a "unique and intimate place" at its previous home inside a conservation area.

The guide said Mr Wilkinson's dishes were "delicate and flavour-filled" with "a playful edge".

In a post on Facebook, Mr Wilkinson said the menu style would be "reassuringly familiar" and customers would "still have to suffer Prince on the playlist".

The previous restaurant could only seat a maximum of 10 diners at the same time.

"One new bonus for guests will be the option to stay over in my guest room and we will now offer private parking which is a luxury compared to the gridlocked village I leave behind," Mr Wilkinson said.

Shropshire is currently home to eight restaurants listed in the Michelin guide, four of which are in Ludlow. But none have a Michelin star.

Mr Wilkinson thanked his customers from Merseyside for their support and added: "I hope some of you venture down to try the new environment this summer."