Jobs and restaurants axed as Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas enter administration
The company said it would close 91 of its 250 restaurants
Alex GreenReporter
More than 1,900 jobs are set to be cut as Casual Dining Group, which owns Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas, said it would close 91 of its restaurants after calling in administrators.
There are Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge, and Las Iguanas branches spread across Devon - and Exeter has one of each.
Plymouth's Royal William Yard is home to the city's Las Iguanas branch, and there are two Bella Italia restaurants in the city, all currently closed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In May this year, the future of 6,000 workers was in doubt at Casual Dining Group after it confirmed a notice of intent to appoint administrators had been filed at the High Court.
The company said it would close 91 of its 250 restaurants, but has saved others for now.
The locations affected have not yet been revealed.
It still leaves around 4,050 workers at the company's sites across the UK.
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The board said that entering administration was in the best interest of stakeholders during the "extreme operating environment" it is having to trade through.
It is looking for a new owner, but said that the administration would allow it to end negotiations with landlords, a "critical step" before finding a buyer.
Chief executive James Spragg said: "After reviewing all our options with advisers, it became clear that we needed to take this action in order to protect the business and secure the best possible future for Casual Dining Group as we look to conclude a potential sale.
"We are acutely aware of our duty to all employees and recognise that this is an incredibly difficult time for them. Working alongside the administrators we will do everything we can to support them through this process with a view to preserving as much employment as we are able to."
Administrator Clare Kennedy, from Alix Partners, said: ""We appreciate that this is an extremely difficult time for all those associated with Casual Dining Group.
"Our immediate priorities are to assist those whose employment has been affected by today's announcement and to secure a sale for the group in order to protect jobs and provide the Group's much-loved brands with a sustainable platform for the future."