Inns and out of Berowra

WHEN TONY BILSON announced in August he would reopen Berowra Waters Inn, it was billed as the return of the restaurant's founding father.

Just a few months later, Bilson's executive team is in charge of the restaurant and the veteran chef is out of the project and pursuing legal action.

Bilson initially struck a deal with the landlord, Jeremy Laws, to reopen the iconic Sydney restaurant, but in October tensions rose before its reopening and chef Brian Geraghty and manager Robbie Faloona were installed as operators, with Bilson to stay on as a consultant.

Now all links have been severed. ''I can confirm I'm out of there,'' Bilson tells Short Black.

''The legal issue to be resolved is because of a disagreement between myself, the operators and the landlord.''

Last week, Bilson's art collection was returned. Laws declines to comment on the situation, but legal letters have made their way up the waterway.

It seems whether it's good reviews or bad news, Berowra Waters Inn has always created a headline.