Closure
In this section, we report on restaurant, pub, bar, café, and catering business closures across the UK, and the commercial, operational, and market factors behind them. From high-street exits and group-wide restructures to insolvencies, lease surrenders, and strategic site rationalisations, we cover the real-world impacts of rising costs, labour shortages, shifting demand, and margin pressures. We go beyond headlines to explain why closures are happening and what they mean for the wider sector. Whether you’re benchmarking performance or navigating tough decisions, we provide the context hospitality professionals need to stay informed.
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Mar- 2020 -23 MarchRestaurants
McDonald’s and Nando’s close all UK sites
McDonald’s has announced it will close all 1,270 of its UK restaurants by the end of the day (23 March), amid the continuing coronavirus crisis. Meanwhile, Nando’s has also announced the temporary closure of all 400 UK sites “until further notice”. Both groups have pledged to donate remaining food to…
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20 MarchRestaurants
TGI Friday’s announces temporary closure amid Covid-19 virus outbreak
American-style diner TGI Friday’s has announced it is to temporarily close all its UK restaurants from 9pm tomorrow (21 March) amid the recent outbreak of the Covid-19 virus outbreak. The news follows the government warning the public to practice social distancing to prevent the virus spreading. TGI released a statement…
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19 MarchPubs and Bars
Young’s suspends rent for tenants
Pub operator Young’s has announced a new set of measures to support its team across London and the south east. In its latest announcement, the group confirmed it would provide a three-month property rent holiday for all of its tenants, starting this week. The group also said it was doing…
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17 MarchGovernment
Covid-19: Social distancing measures ‘catastrophic’ for pubs, restaurants and hotels
UKHospitality has said the government’s latest advice that people should avoid pubs, restaurants, hotels will be “catastrophic” for businesses and jobs. It has now called on the government for “immediate support for hospitality”, as well as “meaningful business continuity measures”. UKH’s CEO, Kate Nicholls, said the announcement has “effectively shut…
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17 MarchPubs and Bars
City Pub Group to ‘preserve cash’ amid Covid-19 outbreak
Recent trading at the City Pub Group has been “impacted” by Covid-19 and its wider effects, the pub operator has revealed. In its latest update regarding the virus, the group said that there was a “particular” impact on sport, and that certain sites have “witnessed noticeable reductions in trade as…
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12 MarchRestaurants
Blu Lobster announces closure of Hartlepool site
Hartlepool-based seafood restaurant The Blu Lobster has announced its closure. The restaurant situated on The Front, Seaton Carew occupied the first floor of the building above fish and chip shop Fish Face, which is still trading. In a statement posted on Facebook, the restaurant thanked its staff and customers for…
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9 MarchRestaurants
The Old Coastguard hotel reopens restaurant following fire
West Cornwall-based The Old Coastguard hotel has announced the reopening of its restaurant and bar, following a blaze in June last year. The restaurant and bar will be open from Friday 20 March with drinks for locals from 3pm – 5pm and dinner from 6pm in the restaurant. Amid the…
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9 MarchPubs and Bars
Pub, bar and restaurant closures reach lowest rate since 2018
The number of restaurants, pubs and bars across Britain fell by only 1.8% in the 12 months to December 2019, the lowest rate of year-on-year decline for almost two years. According to the latest Market Growth Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners, Britain had a total of 116,203 licensed premises at…
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3 MarchBusiness Bites
Coronavirus is stepping up a gear – this could be serious
When I started this column back in December I did not anticipate a single subject would dominate it so much, but as I wrote last week it would be silly not to address the latest coronavirus circumstances given that each new development so far has had a profound impact on…
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3 MarchRestaurants
Neon Jamon Smithdown closes after seven years
South Liverpool-based restaurant Neon Jamon has officially closed its doors after seven years. The restaurant, which opened in 2013 serving Catalan-inspired food, closed its doors on 29 February and confirmed its closure on Facebook. The statement said: “Well it’s come to our last day trading as Neon Jamon Smithdown and…
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