An Oxford restaurant has gone into receivership -- adding to a growing list of eateries which have fallen on hard times in the city.

Savannah, in Park End Street, which has been open for less than two years, is continuing to trade while receivers hunt for a buyer, but managing director Stuart Campbell has left.

Le Petit Blanc, headed by celebrity chef Raymond Blanc, which has a branch in Walton Street, is also in receivership, while fish restaurant Livebait, in Turl Street, and La Gousse D'Ail, in Woodstock Road, have closed in the past year.

Owners have blamed a downturn in tourism caused by the September 11 attacks and the economic downturn.

But Clinton Pugh, who is about to re-open his Lemon Tree restaurant on its original site, in Woodstock Road, after buying it back following the closure of La Gousse D'Ail, says many restaurants fail because they are not catering for the local market.

Mr Pugh, who also runs Cafe Coco, the Grand Cafe and Moroccan restaurant Kazbar in Oxford, added: "Tourists and students are just the icing on the cake -- you have to be specific about who you are going to attract."

Paul Ellison, of Henley-based finance firm Hurst Morrison Thomson, joint administrative receiver at Savannah, said one chef had also been made redundant but the remainder of the 15 full and part-time staff had kept their jobs.

But they have become creditors after not receiving their wages last month.

Mr Ellison added: "We're in negotiations with two interested parties and are hopeful it will be sold as a going concern in the next 10 days."

Mr Ellison said the administrative receivers had appointed a new manager, who is understood to be one of the possible buyers.