One of Jamie Oliver’s flagship London restaurants, Barbecoa, has closed just one year after the upmarket steak restaurant was relaunched.
According to the BBC, two Barbecoa outlets, one in Piccadilly and another near St. Paul’s Cathedral, recently went into administration.
Oliver’s company quickly snapped up the St. Paul’s location through a newly created subsidiary, leaving the Piccadilly outlet to close.
It is reported the closure will leave 80 staff members without jobs.
Oliver confirmed the news via Twitter, replying to a customer: “Sadly, we can confirm that Barbecoa Piccadilly has closed, but we are still continuing to trade as normal at our St Paul’s location.”
The move comes at a turbulent time for the celebrity chef whose company Jamie’s Italian Limited reportedly owes debts totalling $125 million, as previously reported.
The company is now in the midst of a restructuring plan that will see 12 out of 25 Jamie’s Italian restaurants close their doors. The closures are expected to affect at least 200 jobs.
Image credit: Australian Financial Review