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Frankie & Benny’s to shut ‘large number’ of stores permanently after coronavirus cash loss


A “LARGE number” of Frankie & Benny’s restaurants will not reopen after lockdown as the chain struggles to stay afloat during the coronavirus crisis.

The owner of The Restaurant Group (TRG) dining chain will tell staff today that many sites are “no longer viable to trade and will remain closed permanently”, according to an email seen by the BBC.

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 Frankie & Benny's is expected to announce that some restaurants won't reopen once lockdown is lifted

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Frankie & Benny’s is expected to announce that some restaurants won’t reopen once lockdown is liftedCredit: Alamy

The email adds: “The Covid-19 crisis has significantly impacted our ability to trade profitably, so we’ve taken the tough decision to close these restaurants now.”

There are 236 Frankie & Benny’s restaurants across the UK but it’s not clear how many sites will be affected by the permanent closures.

The BBC reports that the message was sent to managers in the group’s Leisure Division.

The leisure industry is arguably the worst hit during the coronavirus lockdown, and even as restrictions ease, it’s not clear when restaurants, pubs and cafes will be able to reopen for customers to dine in.

High street closures in 2019 and 2020

SADLY there’s a long list of stores experiencing problems on the high street.

In 2019 and so far in 2020 we’ve seen:

  • Forever21 close 350 stores with its UK branches also at risk
  • Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Italian chain go bust, alongside his Fifteen and Barbecoa restaurants
  • Links of London go into administration putting 350 jobs at risk
  • Marks and Spencer close 35 more stores as it pushes forward with plans to axe 145 shops across the UK
  • Dozens of Monsoon and Accessorize stores close
  • There are fears Pizza Express could be next to go into administration as it “brings in emergency advisers”
  • Hairdressing chain Supercuts went into administration in October putting 1,200 jobs and 220 salons at risk
  • Maternity and baby retailer Mothercare collapsed into administration in November after 58 years on the high street, putting 2,500 jobs at risk
  • Department store chain Beales went into administration in January 2020 with 23 shops and 1,052 jobs at risk
  • High end fashion brand Ted Baker said it plans to axe 160 jobs in February
  • Brighthouse and Carluccio’s went into administration at the end of March
  • Mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse said in March that it’ll close all 531 standalone stores in April
  • Debenhams entered administration for the second time in 12 months in April, with 39 stores to close
  • Struggling shoe shop Office put itself up for sale in April 2020
  • Oasis and Warehouse closed down in April 2020 with the loss of 1,800 jobs
  • Cath Kidston closed ALL 60 shops in April 2020 with the loss of 900 jobs
  • Clarks said in May 2020 that it would have to lose 900 roles as high street closures loom

TRG is one of the largest restaurant operators in Britain and also owns chains including Wagamama and Garfunkel’s.

In March, it was forced to shut the majority of its Tex-Mex Chiquito outlets as well as its Food & Fuel chain of pubs in London after falling into administration.

It’s believed around 1,500 jobs were lost as a result.

TRG currently has around 22,000 staff members on furlough.

The closures will be the second round this year for Frankie & Benny’s which had already announced that 90 would shut down imminently back in February.

Many food chains were already struggling before the pandemic as diner opted to dine out at independent restaurants instead.

But the forced closures has mean that some are bringing forward plans to shut up some shops.

Italian chain Carluccio’s fell into administration in March, putting 100 branches and 2,000 employees’ jobs at risk.

A partial sale has saved 30 branches but axed 1,000 jobs in the process of rescuing the brand.

While Pizza Express hasn’t confirmed any closures yet, it has been suggested that some of its 470 branches may not reopen after lockdown.

The Chinese-owned chain, which employs 14,000 people globally, has a debt of £1.1billion and it has asked debtors if it can delay its 2019 results.

The BBC reports that TRG doesn’t wish to add comment.

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