Heston Blumenthal has temporarily closed his London restaurant, Dinner, after it was hit by an outbreak of same the winter vomiting illness which forced its sister restaurant, the Fat Duck, to close in 2009.

According to reports, two diners and three members of staff were taken ill at the two Michelin-starred Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental hotel on Hyde Park, with the restaurant commenting that it was expected to remain closed for a week.

Mr Blumenthal said that his experience with the virus meant he had decided to “err on the side of extreme caution” in closing the restaurant.