Gusto Italian Plans UK Closure Six Restaurants, 190 Job Losses

Several UK hospitality chains are facing significant closures amid financial struggles and industry-wide challenges. Simmons Bars, a retro-style cocktail bar chain, is closing four locations to streamline its portfolio and restructure finances, though it plans future expansions. Meanwhile, Gusto Italian, a popular Italian restaurant chain, is shutting six of its 13 restaurants after being acquired by Cherry Equity Partners through a pre-pack administration process, resulting in approximately 190 job losses but saving around 300 jobs. Gusto's closures involve economically unviable suburban sites, while seven restaurants will remain open, with leadership expressing regret over the closures but optimism for future growth. These developments occur in a broader context of widespread pub and restaurant closures across the UK, driven by factors such as the pandemic aftermath, cost of living crisis, increasing taxes, and rising business costs. Industry groups have called for government intervention, including reducing business rates, to support the sector and preserve jobs and local community spaces.