TGI Fridays closures: 35 restaurants closed and more than 1,000 staff lose their jobs in 'rescue deal'

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The latest casualty of high street cuts and changing habits has seen more than 1,000 jobs cut and 35 restaurants shut in the latest development of a huge brand.

TGI Fridays will remain in UK cities following a rescue deal for the chain, but more than 1,000 staff have lost their jobs with the immediate closure of 35 restaurants.

Breal Capital and Calveton UK have acquired 51 restaurants after the group’s previous operator fell into administration.

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Nearly 2,400 jobs have been saved across the US-themed restaurant group. But in a statement released on the Gov.UK website, it was confirmed that 35 restaurants were not included in the sale and have been closed immediately, resulting in 1,012 redundancies.

35 restaurants have been closed with immediate effect35 restaurants have been closed with immediate effect
35 restaurants have been closed with immediate effect | Getty Images

Julie McEwan, chief executive of TGI Fridays UK, said: “The news today marks the start of a positive future for our business following a very challenging period for the casual dining sector as a whole.

“We are devastated for our colleagues who will be leaving TGIs and thank them for their loyalty and contribution during their time with us.

“We are doing everything possible to retain our team and support those impacted.”

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The Government has provided advice for employees who may be at risk of redundancy, in what it said was a “worrying time” for both employees and creditors of the business.

Which restaurants are being saved?

According to the BBC, the restaurants being saved in the deal are:

  • Bluewater
  • Trafford Centre
  • Meadowhall
  • Aberdeen Union Square
  • Metrocentre
  • Basildon
  • Glasgow Fort
  • Milton Keynes Stadium
  • Braehead
  • Wembley
  • Birmingham NEC
  • Glasgow
  • Junction 27
  • Castleford
  • Lakeside Quay
  • Teesside
  • Bolton
  • Norwich
  • St Davids
  • Doncaster
  • Lakeside
  • Fareham
  • Liverpool One
  • Stevenage
  • White Rose
  • Cribbs Causeway
  • Rushden Lakes
  • Stoke-on-Trent
  • Southampton
  • Silverburn
  • Watford Central
  • Aberdeen Beach
  • Braintree
  • Bournemouth
  • Stratford
  • High Wycombe
  • Cheshire Oaks
  • Walsall
  • Milton Keynes
  • Sheffield
  • Nottingham
  • Edinburgh
  • Coventry
  • Ashton-Under-Lyne
  • Telford
  • The O2
  • Staines
  • Crawley
  • Reading
  • Cheadle
  • Leicester Square
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