Two TGI Fridays restaurants in Scotland to shut immediately with staff made redundant
TGI Fridays has confirmed two sites in Scotland will be closing immediately after a new rescue deal was accepted. The high street restaurant chain announced today it had agreed a deal with Breal Capital and Calveton UK. The deal will see the firm take on 51 TGI Friday sites – however, the remaining 35 will be closing with “immediate effect” and 1,000 workers will be made redundant.
Sadly, as reported by the Mirror, the TGI branches at Fort Kinnaird in Edinburgh and Dundee’s Reform Street will be shutting for good today. In a statement released today, Julie McEwan, chief executive of TGI Fridays UK, said they were “devastated” for the workers who will be losing their jobs today.
They said: “We are devastated for our colleagues who will be leaving TGIs and thank them for their loyalty and contribution during their time with us. We are doing everything possible to retain our team and support those impacted. We would like to thank our team and our loyal guests for supporting us during this transition.”
The TGI Fridays restaurant at Fort Kinnaird in Edinburgh will be shutting for good. The restaurant chain’s chief executive said today marked the “start of a positive future” for the business after a “challenging period” for casual dining.
They added: “We look to the future with confidence that the TGI Fridays brand will continue to attract loyal and new guests. We are proud to serve millions of customers across the UK and are committed to continuing to evolve our proposition and to give our guests a great value for money experience that keeps them coming back to enjoy TGI Fridays time and again.”
TGI Fridays first opened in the UK in the 1980s and has been a popular destination for birthday parties and cocktail nights for the last 40 years. The first UK TGI site opened in Birmingham.
The full list of 35 TGI Friday sites that are closing includes locations such as Barnsley, Chelmsford, Dundee, Edinburgh, Gateshead, Halifax, Manchester Royal Exchange, and more. On the other hand, a list of 51 TGI Friday restaurants will remain open, including sites such as Bluewater, Trafford Centre, Basildon, Bristol Cabot Circus, Glasgow Fort, and many others.
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It is a challenging time for the restaurant industry, with closures and redundancies affecting many establishments across the UK. TGI Fridays, like many others, is facing the impact of changing consumer habits and economic uncertainty. As they navigate these difficult times, they are focusing on ensuring the best for their employees and loyal customers.