º£½ÇÊÓÆµ

Oops.

Our website is temporarily unavailable in your location.

We are working hard to get it back online.

PRIVACY
Retail & Consumer

Wagamama and Frankie & Benny's owner to keep 10% of sites closed until 2021

The Restaurant Group recently announced a restructure which will close 125 sites, potentially affecting 3,000 jobs

Frankie & Benny's(Image: Birmingham Mail)

The company behind restaurants such as Wagamama and Frankie & Benny's has said that 10% of its sites will not reopen before the end of the year.

The Restaurant Group said that the sites, largely in airports, will open next year at the earliest, as they are unlikely to attract enough customers to make reopening worthwhile.

The affected sites are in areas "where footfall is anticipated to remain considerably week (primarily in some airport locations)", the company said in an update for shareholders on Friday.

It raises concerns for the jobs of those who work at the sites, as the Government's furlough scheme, which covers salaries, will end in October.

All the stores that will reopen this year will have started serving customers by the end of September, the company said.

Meanwhile, 60% of its sites that open sometime before the end of August will be given a chance to take advantage of the Government's new Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which gives diners up to 50% off their meal during the first three days of the week.

One in four of the Restaurant Group's restaurants and pubs will be open by the end of this month.

"The group has now started a phased reopening of its restaurants and pubs for eat-in trade in line with Government guidance," it told investors.