Patisserie by Nigel Smith falls into administration
Cookeze, the Lancashire-based event catering firm partly owned by chef Nigel Smith, which traded as Patisserie by Nigel Smith, is the latest hospitality business to have been hit by the coronavirus crisis.
Dean Watson of the Manchester office of Begbies Traynor and Neil Dingley of Moore in Stoke were appointed joint administrators of the company on 24 March after the company ceased trading and 72 employees were made redundant.
The administrators are seeking interested parties who may be attracted by recent major investment in a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen space at the 48,000 sq ft headquarters in Chorley.
The firm specialised in artisan patisserie and was founded in 2010 by Smith. Clients included Manchester United, Liverpool FC, Jockey Club Brasserie Blanc and Malmaison Hotels. Turnover last year was £1.5m.
Watson said: "COVID-19 has seen the sports-related events where the company excelled cancelled. The immediate cashflow challenge this presented as well as recent significant investment in a high specification modern office complex and commercial kitchen equipment has taken its toll.
"We are in the process of updating staff and providing information on how to claim for their entitlements and advising creditors of the position. In the meantime, we are looking for interested parties who may be strongly attracted by the fact it was, until very recently, a successful business with blue chip clients, talented staff and outstanding facilities.
"Sadly, this crisis will continue to severely impact many other similar events-based businesses who are not geared up to weather the storm over the summer of 2020."
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