The future of the popular American-style restaurant chain TGI Fridays in the UK has been secured for most of its sites, but the deal has come at a heavy cost, with 16 venues shutting their doors permanently and over 450 staff losing their jobs.
Administration and Immediate Rescue
On Tuesday, 13 January 2026, the operating company behind TGI Fridays' UK outlets, Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group, appointed administrators from Interpath Advisory. In a move described as a pre-pack administration, the business and its assets were sold immediately to a new company owned by Sugarloaf, the global parent brand of TGI Fridays.
This transaction safeguards 33 remaining restaurants across the country and transfers 1,384 employees to the new ownership vehicle. However, it explicitly excluded 16 locations, which were closed with immediate effect.
The Human Cost: Full List of Closures
The administration process has directly led to 456 redundancies across the 16 restaurants that were not included in the rescue purchase. The affected sites are spread nationwide and include:
- Ashton Under Lyne, Greater Manchester
- Doncaster, South Yorkshire
- Staines, Surrey
- Stevenage, Hertfordshire
- Walsall, West Midlands
- Bournemouth, Dorset
- Telford, Shropshire
- Reading, Berkshire
- Coventry, Warwickshire
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Crawley, West Sussex
- Aberdeen Beach, Scotland
- Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
- Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Stratford, Greater London
- Braintree, Essex
Leadership Comments on the Turnaround Plan
Phil Broad, the global president of TGI Fridays, stated that the difficult decision was part of a strategy to secure the brand's long-term future in the UK. He emphasised that the outcome preserves the majority of jobs and creates a stable platform for growth.
"TGI Fridays has a long history in the UK, and I believe that the future of the brand is in strong hands," Broad said, highlighting the commitment to reinvigorating the brand while maintaining its core dining experience.
Ryan Grant, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, echoed this sentiment, calling the deal a pivotal step in the chain's wider turnaround plan. "While these have been difficult times for hospitality operators generally, this marks a pivotal step in TGI Fridays’ wider turnaround plan, putting in place stable foundations upon which it can begin to move forward," Grant commented.
The administration follows a recent change in ownership; Sugarloaf had purchased the UK business from private equity firms Calveton UK and Breal Capital just two months prior to these events. The move underscores the ongoing challenges within the UK's competitive casual dining sector.
