Leon, which entered administration in December, has shut down 22 restaurants and eliminated 244 jobs. According to administrators at Quantuma Advisory, the company now has a workforce of 573 employees. The decision to close approximately 20 unprofitable sites was previously disclosed by the fast food chain.
Specific details about the closed branches have not been publicly released by Leon. The Telegraph reported significant financial losses for the company, including £12.5 million in 2023, £8.3 million in 2024, and an estimated loss of nearly £10 million for 2025.
In a recent development, one of Leon’s co-founders, John Vincent, revealed plans to expand into service stations, airports, and train stations rather than opening traditional high street locations. He emphasized the potential for profitability in transport hubs, citing a higher profit margin in airports compared to high street venues.
Vincent attributed the closures of Leon to impending changes in business rates calculations and rising operational costs. Established in 2004 by Vincent, Henry Dimbleby, and Allegra McEvedy, Leon operates 44 company-owned restaurants and franchises 22 others.
Following a buyback by John Vincent in 2025 from previous owner Asda, Leon was acquired by Mohsin Issa and Zuber Issa’s EG Group in 2021 before becoming part of the Asda business in 2023. Vincent expressed that Leon did not align with Asda’s strategic focus, leading to the decision to repurchase the business.
Leon has implemented a support program for employees affected by store closures, offering opportunities for redeployment within the company or redundancy payments when relocation is not feasible. Additionally, a partnership with Pret A Manger has been established to facilitate job applications for impacted Leon staff.
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