Cafe Rouge, Bella Italia and Las Iguanas won’t reopen 91 restaurants
The boss of popular restaurant chains Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas has announced plans to cut 1,909 jobs across the UK.
The company has been forced to call in administrators after being closed to the public for months during the coronavirus pandemic. It will now close 91 of its 250 restaurants but has managed to save the other sites for now.
The list of closures include 35 Bella Italia, three Belgo, 32 Cafe Rouge, and 11 Las Iguanas. It also includes several cafes and bars at airports, six of which are at Heathrow.
Around 4,050 employees will continue working at the company’s sites across the UK. The board said that entering administration was in the best interest of stakeholders during the ‘extreme operating environment’ it is having to trade through.
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It is looking for a new owner, but said that the administration would allow it to end negotiations with landlords, a ‘critical step’ before finding a buyer.
Chief executive James Spragg said: ‘After reviewing all our options with advisers, it became clear that we needed to take this action in order to protect the business and secure the best possible future for Casual Dining Group as we look to conclude a potential sale.
‘We are acutely aware of our duty to all employees and recognise that this is an incredibly difficult time for them.
‘Working alongside the administrators we will do everything we can to support them through this process with a view to preserving as much employment as we are able to.’
Bosses said that all the offers they have received from potential buyers involved reducing the number of restaurants it runs. The administrators therefore decided to close the sites permanently.
Administrator Clare Kennedy, from Alix Partners, said: ‘We appreciate that this is an extremely difficult time for all those associated with Casual Dining Group.
‘Our immediate priorities are to assist those whose employment has been affected by today’s announcement and to secure a sale for the group in order to protect jobs and provide the Group’s much-loved brands with a sustainable platform for the future.’
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