About 1,000 staff expected to lose their jobs as administrators called in
All but three of Jamie Oliver’s 25 UK restaurants have closed, with the loss of 1,000 jobs, after the business called in administrators.
The celebrity chef said he was “deeply saddened” by the blow to his restaurant empire, which began with the opening of Fifteen in London in 2002. Only his three outlets at Gatwick airport will remain in operation as administrators seek a buyer. But a further 300 jobs, mostly at the Gatwick outlets, remain at risk.
Oliver, 43, thanked staff and suppliers who had “put their hearts and souls into the business” as he credited his chains with transforming high street dining.
“I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected,” he said. “We launched Jamie’s Italian in 2008 with the intention of positively disrupting mid-market dining in the UK high street, with great value and much higher quality ingredients, best-in-class animal welfare standards and an amazing team who shared my passion for great food and service. And we did exactly that.”