THE 2017 Michelin Guide awards list has been released - and it's not good news for local chefs.

The Montagu Arms in Beaulieu has lost its Michelin star for its flagship the The Terrace restaurant.

It means there are no New Forest restaurants listed in the 2017 awards.

Sunil Kanjanghat, General Manager of the Montagu Arms, said: “We have been proud to be included in the Michelin Guide for the past eight years in recognition of the outstanding standards of food and service at The Terrace at the Montagu Arms.

“This year’s visit by the Michelin Guide’s inspectors coincided with extensive £400,000 kitchen, front of house and dining room refurbishment works that were being carried out to build on the restaurant’s success in the long term.

“During this period, customers were aware that we were having to work around the refurbishment and that we were offering a more limited menu than they are used to.

“The refurbishment, now almost complete, will enable our chefs to invest more time in creating and developing our dishes and will have a positive impact on our offering for a long time to come.

"We will be in an even better position in terms of service and efficiency, with customer experience as our focus.

“We are always striving for excellence in everything we do and we look forward to welcoming the Michelin Guide back next year to see the positive impact of the investment we have made.”

Other news from the list includes Heston Blumenthal's restaurant The Fat Duck regaining its three Michelin stars, and the Ritz gaining its first star.

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay kept its three stars despite the departure of head chef Claire Smyth.

Locally - for those who don't mind a drive for their award-winning dinner - the Black Rat in Winchester kept its star, while the Sun Inn at Dummer and tapas restaurant Pulpo Negro at Old Alresford both gained Bib Gourmands.

But Romsey favourite the Three Tuns, run by the team behind Winchester's Chesil Rectory, lost its Bib Gourmand.