Birmingham restaurant falls victim to parent’s administration

A restaurant in Birmingham has fallen victim to the administration of burger chain, Handmade Burger Company.

The Birmingham-based company lapsed into administration on Thursday (July 6) with administrators from Leonard Curtis immediately wielding the axe on nine of the company’s 29 restaurants around the UK.

The closures have so far cost 163 people their jobs but hundreds more remain at risk while administrators try and secure what value they can from the business.

The chain’s outlet in Birmingham’s showpiece Grand Central shopping centre is amongst the nine outlets to close.

The firm also has diners in Brindleyplace and the Bullring shopping centre; both remain open.

The other restaurants to have closed are:
•    Metro Centre, Gateshead
•    Braehead Shopping Centre, Glasgow
•    East Kilbride Leisure Hub, Glasgow
•    Trinity Walk, Wakefield
•    Intu Victoria Centre, Nottingham
•    Intu Eldon Square, Newcastle upon Tyne
•    The Gate, Newcastle upon Tyne
•    White Rose Shopping Centre, Leeds

The remaining 20 restaurants in the chain will continue to operate as normal under the control of the joint administrators.

Leonard Curtis, which is handling the administration from its Birmingham office, said all parties were working towards a swift solution to safeguard as many jobs as possible in the remaining restaurants.

Julien Irving, one of the administrators, said: “We are monitoring trade closely and looking to get a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) in place which we consider to be the best outcome for all parties. If the proposal has the support of the creditors, then a CVA may allow the business to continue.

“We are working hard to seek approval from the company’s creditors to secure this. If, however, this is not possible, then as joint administrators we will seek a buyer for the business.

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