Cafe Giardino becomes seventeenth eatery to close in Coventry city centreA CAFE has been closed in Coventry city centre after the company behind it went into administration.
Cafe Giardino, in the Lower Precinct, is among 17 cafes and restaurants to have closed their doors.
It comes after Town Centre Restaurants struggled to pay its debts after a financial review.
The firm, also behind the Auberge restaurants and Azzuro bars, announced 22 of its outlets have been sold to joint administrators Fraser Gray and will remain open.
But the remaining outlets, including Coventry’s Cafe Giardino which opened in 2002, have now closed with a total loss of 90 jobs after not being included in the sale.
Brian Hughes, operations manager for the Lower Precinct, says he is hopeful the empty unit will be snapped up quickly after several potential buyers have come forward.
Speaking about the closure, he said: “There was certainly a full-time manager and three or four members of staff. It all happened so quickly.
“The administrators came in and about an hour later the cafe was closed. It was surprising for us too.
“It’s always disappointing when we lose another retailer but my understanding is there are several retailers that have shown an interest in the unit so I am now optimistic.
“There is a lot of doom and gloom around the retail industry but certainly there are still businesses out there that are doing well.
“I hope we get someone in there soon.
“We have got to remain positive – it’s got to be onwards and upwards from here.”
Founded in 1992, Town Centre Restaurants had grown from one site in Bromley to employing 330 staff across 39 locations including its head office in Enfield, London.
Administrators Zolfo Cooper were called to review the company’s financial options in November last year but no acceptable buyers were found and it was wound up.
A spokesman for Fraser Gray, joint administrator of Zolfo Cooper, said: “It is regrettable that in order to safeguard the business and enable it to be well placed for the future, it has been necessary to close a number of cafés and restaurants.
“However, we are pleased to have effected the sale of 22 sites and the head office preserving approximately 240 jobs in this very difficult economic climate.
“We wish everyone involved in the new company every success for the future.”
London-based lettings agent, Capital Retail, who have been appointed for the sale of the unit in Lower Precinct, say it would be open to offers from interested parties within the next few weeks.