Jamie's Italian to close 12 UK sites
The Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group is to close 12 UK branches following a restructuring review of the business.
The sites confirmed are Jamie's Italian in Bath, Bristol, Bluewater, Kent, Chelmsford, Essex, Harrogate, Kingston-upon-Thames, Milton Keynes, Reading, St Albans, Hertfordshire and two in London in Greenwich and Threadneedle Street, as well as Jamie's Diner Piccadilly.
This will leave 25 Jamie's Italian sites in the UK, which will be unaffected and will continue to trade normally.
Jamie's Italian franchises managed through Jamie's Italian International will also not be affected by the closures. The Jamie Oliver Media Group and the Jamie Oliver Licensing Group are also unaffected.
Jon Knight, CEO of the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, said: "This was a not an easy decision but it's a crucial step to ensure our strong and much-loved brand can continue to serve our loyal customers.
"We will look to redeploy as many staff as possible within the wider Restaurant Group. All staff impacted will be paid fully and all our obligations to them fulfilled. We're incredibly grateful to the dedication and hard work of every single member of staff."
In January 2016, Oliver was forced to close six Jamie's Italian restaurants with the brand's parent Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group blaming a "tough market".
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