Hirst's Pharmacy closes

The Pharmacy restaurant opened five years ago

Pharmacy, the restaurant opened by controversial artist Damien Hirst, closed on Monday.

The conceptual eatery, which was made to look like a chemist's shop with medicine cabinets and bottles of pills, opened in 1998.

It was one of the first restaurants to combine the eating experience with art.

A number a celebrities were seen there and its food was praised by critics.

When it opened in Notting Hill, west London, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society threatened legal action claiming that it would confuse people looking for a real chemist's.

Pharmacy's owners, The Hartford Group, said it was in negotiations with the premises' landlords but its primary concern was "looking after the restaurant's 65 staff".

Mr Hirst has already been to the restaurant and removed his art work and paintings from the walls.