Tributes paid to former Restaurant Group executive chairman Alan Jackson

Tributes have been paid to former executive chairman of the Restaurant Group Alan Jackson, who has died.

As well as leading the Restaurant Group, whose key brands were then Frankie & Benny's and Chiquito, until 2005 Jackson worked for Whitbread for 18 years between 1973 and 1991. As managing director of its restaurant division, Jackson created and developed the Beefeater, Travel Inn, and TGI Friday's brands.

He founded the Inn Business Group in 1995 and grew it to 688 sites before selling it to pub operator Punch in 1999 for £69m. Jackson then chaired the Oriental Restaurant Group until its sale to Noble House in 2000.

He became executive chairman of TRG in March 2001 at the invitation of then chief executive Andrew Guy.

Jackson, alongside group managing director Andrew Page were credited with turning TRG around from an unfocused company in poor financial shape to darlings of the stock market.

They offloaded the group’s struggling Deep Pan Pizza, OK Diner and Wok Wok chains and switched its focus from the competitive high street to the then more robust leisure park and concessions sectors, as well as refreshing its Chiquito and Caffé Uno brands.

In 2005 The Caterer named Jackson the third most influential restaurateur in hospitality.

Jackson was also the non-executive chairman of brewer Charles Wells and a non-executive director De Vere plc and Regent Inns as well as chairman of nightclub operator Luminar.

Paying tribute chief executive of UKHospitality Kate Nicholls said: "Really sad to hear the news that Alan Jackson has died - hugely influential in developing pub-restaurant and then casual dining brands and so supportive to many of us in the sector. Thoughts and prayers wih his family, friends and former colleagues."