Byron Burger to bring back flagship restaurant after…

Byron Burger to bring back flagship restaurant after axing 31 stores for good last year

Restaurant chain Byron is to reopen its flagship Covent Garden branch nine months after shutting down for good as part of a pre-pack administration that involved 31 closures and 650 job losses.

The company, founded in 2007, today told The Mirror it’s returning to business as it announced the reopening of the London branch and two new outlets in Wembley and Central St Giles.

It comes just under a year after the company was sold in a pre-pack deal that resulted in more than half of the group's 51-strong estate closing permanently.

Byron entered administration in July last year, hiring consultants at KMPG to review the chain’s portfolio, after temporarily closing its entire estate due to the Covid outbreak.

The company closed 31 restaurants as part of a pre-pack administration last year (Google)

The joint administrators sold the brands to investment company Calveton UK Limited, with Three Hills Capital Partners taking a minority stake.

The takeover resulted 31 immediate closures and 651 redundancies - it came just two years after bosses shuttered 19 outlets.

"We are backing Byron because we believe it has great opportunity ahead of it, and it is well placed to adapt to the new consumer environment and dining trends," Sandeep Vyas of Calveton said at the time.

"We will continue to bring Byron's great tasting food to customers in restaurants and via digital on-demand platforms, whether they are at work, home or on the high street and we look forward to working with the team.”

Simon Wilkinson, chief executive of Byron, told The Mirror the Wembley opening will mark the chain’s first new restaurant in five years (Getty)

Now, the casual dining chain is hoping to make a comeback.

As part of the post lockdown celebrations, Byron said its flagship Covent Garden restaurant will reopen on May 17 as indoor dining resumes in England.

The chain is also set to open two new branches – one in Wembley on May 27 and another in Central St Giles in June as part of a re-growth plan.

Byron closed 31 restaurants for good in 2020 (Birmingham Mail)

Simon Wilkinson, chief executive of Byron, told The Mirror the Wembley opening will mark the chain’s first new restaurant in five years.

“We’ve got a lot to celebrate at Byron this month,” he said.

“Not only are we marking the return of indoor dining with the limited-edition Freedom Burger, but we’re re-opening the doors of our central London restaurants in Covent Garden and Central St Giles, as well as opening the first brand-new Byron restaurant for five years in Wembley.”