The FINANCIAL -- Private equity company RCapital has confirmed that it has completed the restructuring of roadside restaurant chain Little Chef and will close 66 out of the total of 161 sites, as announced last month.

According to Caterer and Hotelkeeper, some of the restaurants have already closed, while some - such as those where Travelodge, one-time owner of Little Chef, is the landlord - may remain open until September.

The decision to close the 66 restaurants was part of a broader restructuring strategy that included a detailed review of the lease agreements. Rents on many sites were set well above market levels and the confirmation that the closures will go ahead has been prompted by a deadlock in negotiations with a number of landlords.

Little Chef will continue to operate 95 sites identified in January as being consistently profitable. There will be no further job losses beyond the 500 to 600 announced last month.

Related Stories

• Scottish Parliament backs 50p minimum alcohol unit price
• Thistle becomes first UK hotel group to gain full Vegetarian Society accreditation
• Natural History Museum receives Two Star rating from the SRA