Jamie Oliver ‘to close’ 12 Italian restaurants

Twelve Italian restaurants owned by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver may have to close, including branches in Harrogate and York.

Other branches understood to be at risk include St Albans, Milton Keynes, Glasgow, Bristol and Cardiff.

A Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group spokesman said it was “exploring plans to restructure its Jamie’s Italian restaurant estate”.

However, he added that no final decision had been made.

Last year, seven Italian restaurants shut along with Oliver’s Union Jacks pizza chain.

Earlier this month, the company said its plans to launch another 22 Jamie’s Italian restaurants overseas are going ahead.