TGI Fridays has closed 16 of its UK restaurants, resulting in 456 job losses, after the American-style casual dining chain was sold in a rescue deal aimed at keeping the rest of the business trading.
Rescue Sale Secures Remaining Restaurants
Administrators Interpath were appointed on Tuesday to Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group, which operated TGI Fridays’ UK estate. The company’s business and assets were immediately sold to a new owner linked to Sugarloaf, the manager of the global TGI Fridays brand.
Under the transaction, 33 restaurants will continue to operate, safeguarding around 1,384 jobs, Interpath said.
Phil Broad, global president of TGI Fridays, said the company had explored all options to secure the chain’s future in the UK and described the deal as the best outcome for preserving jobs and providing a platform for stability and growth.
Sites Closed With Immediate Effect
The 16 sites that shut immediately are located in:
Ashton Under Lyne
Doncaster
Staines
Stevenage
Walsall
Bournemouth
Telford
Reading
Coventry
Edinburgh
Crawley
Aberdeen Beach
Nottingham
Sheffield
Stratford
Braintree
Ryan Grant, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, said the transaction would allow the brand to continue trading nationally, describing it as a key step in TGI Fridays’ broader turnaround plans.
Wider Pressure On Hospitality Sector
The closures come amid continued strain across the UK hospitality industry. Research from Worldpanel by Numerator shows casual and fast-food restaurants experienced a 6% fall in customer numbers over summer 2025 compared with the previous year.
UKHospitality warned in December that up to 100,000 jobs could be lost following measures in the Autumn Budget. The government has said it is supporting the sector through a £4.3bn package.
Recent restructurings elsewhere highlight similar pressures. Leon announced last month it would close 20 restaurants and cut jobs, while Pizza Hut’s UK operator DC London Pie said in October it would shut 68 restaurants and 11 delivery sites, making more than 1,200 staff redundant, citing rising costs and tax-related obligations.
Featured image credits: Flickr
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