The former Palacio de la Equitativa, which captures all eyes when filled with twinkling lights at Christmas, is going to dispense with a space that promised to be the new gastronomichotspot of the capital. Mad Gourmets, the market that manages more than 650 square meters of the Food Hall of the Galería Canalejas (Calle Alcalá, 12), ended September with a debt exceeding 2.23 million euros, which is why it is declaring bankruptcy.
Initially, Mad Gourmets had 20 stalls with everything from traditional dishes from the peninsula to the latest gastronomic trends from Latin America and Asia. It was an ambitious project that even John Torres, the creator of the sourdough bread that is a staple in many Michelin-starred restaurants, joined.
Now, many of the spaces that belonged to the market – among them Vibar, Lobstar and Burnout Burgers – are closed to the public. No wonder: the company had to face 1.63 million euros in operating expenses and closed the year with losses of more than 640,000 euros.
According to the journalists of the supplement Activos, most of the expenses (1.02 million) that Mad Gourmets has had to face come from the rent it paid for its sophisticated space in the Galería Canalejas, located in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Madrid.
On the other hand, part of the debt accumulated by the company corresponds to commercial creditors, among which, according to the gastronomic newspaper Directo al Paladar, are the bank BBVA and the company Hijos de Rivera.