Administrators KPMG have been lined up to deal with the process, a spokesperson for the Jamie Oliver Group confirmed in a statement today. It has not been revealed if any stores are due to close, but the company includes Jamie’s Italian branches, as well as his Barbecoa sites and Fifteen Cornwall. The restaurants will continue to trade as normal during the procedure. As many as 1,300 jobs are feared to be at risk following the development.
A spokesperson for the Jamie Oliver Group said: “The board of Jamie’s Italian Limited has appointed Will Wright and Mark Orton of KPMG to put its UK-based restaurant business into administration.
“Jamie Oliver Holdings, which operates Jamie Oliver Limited and Jamie Oliver Licensing Limited, as well as the international restaurant franchise business, Jamie’s Italian International Limited, will continue to trade as normal.
“Fifteen Cornwall, which operates under a franchise, is also unaffected.”
Jamie Oliver responded: “I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the staff and our suppliers who have put their hearts and souls into this business for over a decade.
“I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected.
“I would also like to thank all the customers who have enjoyed and supported us over the last decade, it’s been a real pleasure serving you.
“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.”
Mr Oliver previously shut six of his restaurants as part of cost-cutting measures, blaming Brexit for tough market conditions.
Outlets in Aberdeen, Cheltenham, Exeter, Tunbridge Wells and Ludgate and Richmond were closed in 2017.
There are currently 70 Jamie’s Italians worldwide.
Of these, 42 are in the UK.