Jamie Oliver to close six restaurants due to ‘tough market’ following Brexit vote

CELEBRITY chef Jamie Oliver is to close six of his Italian restaurants due to a “tough market” following the Brexit vote.

Branches of Jamie’s Italian restaurants in Aberdeen, Cheltenham, Exeter, Tunbridge Wells as well as two London locations - Richmond and Ludgate Hill - will close by the end of March.

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The company’s chief executive Simon Blagden blamed a “tough market and post-Brexit pressures” for the closures.

He added: "Because we refuse to compromise on the quality and provenance of our ingredients and our commitment to training and developing our staff, we need restaurants that can serve an average of 3,000 covers every week to be sustainable."

The are currently 42 Jamie’s Italian restaurants in the UK and more than 36 abroad with his name.

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The move will affect 120 staff, the company said it would try and place them in other parts of the chain.

Blagden said the group would refocus UK strategy on its Barbecoa brand, with two planned UK openings for it this year - along with 22 planned openings for the Jamie's Italian brand abroad.

The closures represent less than 5 percent of total turnover, it added.

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