Thirty Carluccio's restaurants have been acquired out of administration, but 1,000 jobs have been lost.
Carluccio’s has been sold to Giraffe and Ed’s Easy Diner owner Boparan Restaurant Group.
However, administrators FRP Advisory said the move has also resulted in the redundancy of 1,019 Carluccio’s employees after it was unable to secure the future of the chain’s other 40 restaurants.
The value of the deal has not been disclosed, but is believed to be around £3m.
Phil Reynolds, joint administrator and partner at FRP, said: “The Covid-19 lockdown has put incredible pressure on businesses across the leisure sector, so it has been important to work as quickly and as decisively as possible in an extremely challenging business environment to secure a sale which ensures the future of the Carluccio’s brand in the UK casual dining scene retains a significant network of sites across the country and, critically, transfers a considerable number of jobs.
“We wish the team all the best as part of the Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG).”
Satnam Leihal, managing director of BRG, said: “We welcome Carluccio’s colleagues to BRG.
“This acquisition is in line with our strategy to grow our restaurant group with quality brands.
“Whilst it is an extremely challenging time for the sector, we believe quality hospitality businesses will recover in the long term as people return to eating out.
The acquired restaurants are located in: Beverley, Bluewater, Bristol, Cribbs Causeway, Cambridge, Cheshire Oaks, Chester, Chichester, Colchester, Derby, Kingston Bentalls, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Trinity, London-Islington Development Kitchen, Marriott Heathrow, Marriott Regents Park, Richmond, South Kensington, St Christopher’s Place, St Pancras Station, Waterloo Station, Wimbledon, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Trafford Centre, Portsmouth, Reading, Sheffield, Solihull, Southampton, Stratford on Avon, Walton on Thames, Dublin- Dawson Street.
Boparan is owned by tycoon Ranjit Boparan, who earned the nickname 'chicken king' after founding poultry supplier 2 Sisters Food Group in 1993.
