No grouse to eat in London on the Glorious Twelfth

Perhaps for the first time since the rollout of the British railway network in Victorian times, “virtually no grouse” were on menus in the capital on the first day of the grouse season. 

It has long been a point of prestige on the Glorious Twelfth to serve grouse that have been rushed south by train or by Land Rover straight from the moors to the smartest London restaurants. The tradition is believed to have started in the 1870s. 

Sodden spring conditions hit grouse numbers and renowned game restaurants such as Boisdales, the Jugged Hare and St John Smithfield were unable to lay their hands on any. Only one shoot took place in Scotland on 12 August in the Lammermuir Hills. 

Leon Challis-Davies, culinary director at Eat Wild, told ST: “We have known for a while that the adverse weather earlier in the year has led to poor grouse numbers. What was shot on the Twelfth more than likely went to local northern restaurants, shooters and landowners well before anyone in London. 

“I have been asked by many London restaurants what the likelihood was of getting their hands on grouse and regrettably this year it is limited.”