Landmark US restaurant closes

The restaurant was used as a location for several films

New York's legendary gathering place, the Russian Tea Room, is closing after nearly 80 years of business.

The restaurant started as a meeting point for New York's sizeable Russian community

Famed for its lavish decor, caviar and vodka, the restaurant was a favourite haunt of celebrities and even featured in several films.

Restaurant chief executive Jennifer LeRoy, who inherited the restaurant from her father, said in a statement that a drop in business from tourists had led her reluctantly to make the decision to close the restaurant's doors.

"Unfortunately, like so many other restaurants, the Russian Tea Room suffered from the slowing national economy and the tragic events of 11 September," she said.

Spectacular decor

The restaurant first opened its doors in 1926, the creation of former members of the Russian Imperial Ballet, and it soon became a favourite meeting place for the city's sizeable Russian community.

The Russian Tea Room became a regular haunt for celebrities

It was bought out by former school teacher Stanley Kaye in the 1950s. Under his management the restaurant gradually became one of the places to be seen in the New York, with its four floors each spectacularly decorated and individually themed.

One floor is modelled after the Kremlin, while another features murals and statues with dancing bears.

Scenes from Dustin Hoffman's film Tootsie were shot in the restaurant and Madonna once worked at the front desk as a coat check girl.

Art collection

Regular patrons included Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and, more recently, celebrities such as Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones.

It was bought again in 1997 by Warner LeRoy, who then shut it down for a lavish refurbishment which cost more than $20 million.

Its sizeable art collection includes several works by famous painters such as Kandinsky, Picasso and Tamara de Lempicka.

However, no decision has yet been made on what will become of the paintings following the restaurant's closure.