Coffeesmiths Collective buys Filmore and Union sites out of administration

Coffeesmiths Collective has acquired 10 of 17 Filmore and Union Group sites and the production kitchen out of administration in a pre-pack deal.

The 150 employees of the health-focused café chain have transferred across to the speciality coffee company. The remaining seven sites have ceased trading with immediate effect, resulting in around 80 employees being made redundant.

Phil Pierce and Paul Whitwam, partners at specialist business advisory firm FRP Advisory, were appointed joint administrators on 24 May 2019 after the business suffered severe cash flow pressures following a period of challenging trading. Following an accelerated sales process and their subsequent appointment, they secured a partial sale of the business and assets.

Filmore and Union operated 17 sites in the North of England, which included stand-alone cafes, in-store and train station cafes, as well as a head office and production kitchen in Wetherby, West Yorkshire.

Pierce said: "Filmore and Union is a well-known and popular independent chain with a strong reputation across the North of England. We are pleased to have been able to secure a deal which crucially protects a large number of jobs in the local area and will help to maximise returns for creditors. We wish the team at Coffeesmiths Collective all the best as they continue to expand their business.

"Unfortunately, it has not been possible to secure the sale of all sites, and we are working with the Redundancy Payments Service to provide support for all employees affected at this difficult time."

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