Over 1,000 jobs at risk as Jamie Oliver’s restaurant chain enters administration

Jamie Oliver’s restaurant chain has crashed into administration putting more than a thousand jobs at risk.

The news has come just two years after the Italian restaurant chain narrowly avoided administration.

The firm, which includes 23 Jamie’s Italian outlets, plus the Fifteen and Barbecoa restaurants, is on the brink of appointing KPMG as an administrator.

The firm has been in the process of seeking buyers in recent months after the celebrity chef decided to walk away from the business.

The casual dining sector has been badly hit by the downturn in consumer spending over the last two years.

Chains such as Carluccio’s, Byron Burger and Gourmet Burger have all been forced to close outlets.

Jamies has branches across the country including Nottingham.

KPMG has been lined up to handle the insolvency process.

The insolvency process is likely to leave HSBC, the company’s principal bank lender with a multi-million pound loss.

The business launched a restructuring process in 2017 which led to the closure of a number of restaurants.

A spokesperson for the Jamie Oliver Group said: “The board of Jamie’s Italian Limited has appointed Will Wright and Mark Orton of KPMG to put its UK-based restaurant business into administration.

“Jamie Oliver Holdings, which operates Jamie Oliver Limited and Jamie Oliver Licensing Limited, as well as the international restaurant franchise business, Jamie’s Italian International Limited, will continue to trade as normal.

“Fifteen Cornwall, which operates under a franchise, is also unaffected.”

Jamie Oliver added: “I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the staff and our suppliers who have put their hearts and souls into this business for over a decade.

“I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected.

“I would also like to thank all the customers who have enjoyed and supported us over the last decade, it’s been a real pleasure serving you.

“We launched Jamie’s Italian in 2008 with the intention of positively disrupting mid-market dining in the UK high street, with great value and much higher quality ingredients, best in class animal welfare standards and an amazing team who shared my passion for great food and service. And we did exactly that.”

KPMG has so far declined to comment.