Struggling High Street Burger Chain Will Close Multiple Restaurants

Gourmet Burger Kitchen, (GBK), has reached a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) to close 17 of its high street burger restaurants, and thus rescue the struggling restaurant group — according to Big Hospitality.

GBK’s South African parent company, Famous Brands, announced the appointment of Grant Thornton to manage the process on the stock exchange. 17 restaurant closures would represent close to a quarter of the burger chain’s sites, of which 36 are in London, with around 250 jobs under threat. Eater understands that closures are not imminent.

For comparison, Byron Burger’s CVA saw 16 restaurants close after 20 of the fellow burger chain’s sites were earmarked; Jamie Oliver closed 12 out of 37 restaurants, including Jamie’s Italian sites and Jamie’s Diner. Carluccio’s, meanwhile, trimmed a third of its sites, while struggling steak chain Gaucho — which this week agreed its own CVA — closed its sister steak restaurant, Cau, altogether.

Eater recently reported on the group’s dramatic decline in burger sales and substantial financial losses, as well as its racist attempt at inciting a “curry war” with the “proper Indian” advertising campaign for the Ruby Murray burger. More soon on the restaurants affected.