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What went wrong at Jamie's Italian? | What went wrong at Jamie's Italian? |
(about 1 hour later) | |
"If Jamie can replicate this early Oxford form," wrote the Guardian's restaurant critic Matthew Norman in 2008, "he will soon be driving a prize herd of recession-proof cash cows across the land." | "If Jamie can replicate this early Oxford form," wrote the Guardian's restaurant critic Matthew Norman in 2008, "he will soon be driving a prize herd of recession-proof cash cows across the land." |
Norman was reviewing the first branch of what would become a country-wide franchise, designed, in Jamie Oliver's own words, "with the intention of positively disrupting mid-market dining in the high street in the UK, with great value and much higher quality ingredients, best in class animal welfare standards and an amazing team". | |
Fast forward a decade, and this was the Sunday Times' Marina O'Loughlin's verdict on the "tagliatelle with truffles" at the Jamie's in Westfield Stratford. | Fast forward a decade, and this was the Sunday Times' Marina O'Loughlin's verdict on the "tagliatelle with truffles" at the Jamie's in Westfield Stratford. |
"Appalling, a honking, salty swamp of a sauce, brown and dusty with nutmeg. Tiny chunks, not shavings, of tasteless black truffle lurk around, like mouse poos in soup." | "Appalling, a honking, salty swamp of a sauce, brown and dusty with nutmeg. Tiny chunks, not shavings, of tasteless black truffle lurk around, like mouse poos in soup." |
A mere eight months after that damning review, the celebrity chef's eponymous chain, along with brands Barbecoa and Fifteen, has gone into administration, putting 1,000 jobs in peril. | A mere eight months after that damning review, the celebrity chef's eponymous chain, along with brands Barbecoa and Fifteen, has gone into administration, putting 1,000 jobs in peril. |
In an email to staff on Tuesday morning, Mr Oliver blamed "the well-publicised struggles of the casual dining sector and decline of the UK high street, along with soaring business rates," for the company's collapse. | In an email to staff on Tuesday morning, Mr Oliver blamed "the well-publicised struggles of the casual dining sector and decline of the UK high street, along with soaring business rates," for the company's collapse. |
Administrators KPMG echoed this rationale, citing a tough trading environment. | Administrators KPMG echoed this rationale, citing a tough trading environment. |
Shock dismissals | Shock dismissals |
True, the woes of so-called casual dining sector are well documented. | True, the woes of so-called casual dining sector are well documented. |
Once seen as competitors to Jamie's, Italian chain Strada is down to just three branches, while Carluccio's has been forced to close approximately a third of its restaurants, after losing tens of millions of pounds. | Once seen as competitors to Jamie's, Italian chain Strada is down to just three branches, while Carluccio's has been forced to close approximately a third of its restaurants, after losing tens of millions of pounds. |
Burger brand Byron, French cuisine chain Cafe Rouge, and pizza outlets Zizzi and Prezzo aren't faring much better. | Burger brand Byron, French cuisine chain Cafe Rouge, and pizza outlets Zizzi and Prezzo aren't faring much better. |
But staff at Jamie's were still hopeful that a turnaround was on the horizon. | But staff at Jamie's were still hopeful that a turnaround was on the horizon. |
"We knew it wasn't doing as well as we'd want it to be," says Lucy, who worked at the Glasgow branch for more than three years. | "We knew it wasn't doing as well as we'd want it to be," says Lucy, who worked at the Glasgow branch for more than three years. |
Staff, she says, were led to believe that a refit was around the corner, and that taps offering Brewdog beer would soon be installed. | Staff, she says, were led to believe that a refit was around the corner, and that taps offering Brewdog beer would soon be installed. |
Instead, they got a simple email. | Instead, they got a simple email. |
"My partner was meant to be on shift this morning," says Lucy, who asked for her real name not to be used. | "My partner was meant to be on shift this morning," says Lucy, who asked for her real name not to be used. |
"He was told at the last minute not to come in as the locks were being changed. | "He was told at the last minute not to come in as the locks were being changed. |
"We were then invited to join a conference call and told we had all been made redundant, effective immediately." | "We were then invited to join a conference call and told we had all been made redundant, effective immediately." |
Lucy and her partner, who worked at Jamie's for five years, say they feel there was a lack of transparency at the firm. | |
"I wish they hadn't said to us that it was fine, when it obviously wasn't," she says. | "I wish they hadn't said to us that it was fine, when it obviously wasn't," she says. |
Multiple problems | Multiple problems |
But the 27-year-old is in no doubt as to what led to the chain's demise. | But the 27-year-old is in no doubt as to what led to the chain's demise. |
"Firstly, the restaurants are far too big," she explains. Due to pared-down staffing numbers, on busy evenings she would be waiting on as many as 11 tables at once, while managers and chefs also felt overburdened. | "Firstly, the restaurants are far too big," she explains. Due to pared-down staffing numbers, on busy evenings she would be waiting on as many as 11 tables at once, while managers and chefs also felt overburdened. |
Then there was the tie-ins with voucher schemes, such as Groupon, which attracted fickle bargain hunters, and "didn't inspire loyalty or regular customers". | Then there was the tie-ins with voucher schemes, such as Groupon, which attracted fickle bargain hunters, and "didn't inspire loyalty or regular customers". |
Tourists and those who happened to be passing by became the key clientele, says Lucy, with "very few people coming in because of excitement of being at a Jamie's Italian". | Tourists and those who happened to be passing by became the key clientele, says Lucy, with "very few people coming in because of excitement of being at a Jamie's Italian". |
Despite the team's hard work, those who took the time to check local ratings on their smartphones generally stayed away too. | Despite the team's hard work, those who took the time to check local ratings on their smartphones generally stayed away too. |
"Unfortunately, because of the fact that it is quite expensive, we would not be on the top on TripAdvisor," says Lucy. | "Unfortunately, because of the fact that it is quite expensive, we would not be on the top on TripAdvisor," says Lucy. |
"The market for chain restaurants is dying - there are loads of places you can go in Glasgow that are cheaper." | |
Many analysts agree, arguing that the private equity firms which started taking a keen interest in group restaurants over the last few years drove rapid expansion to increase profits, to the detriment of the dining experience. | Many analysts agree, arguing that the private equity firms which started taking a keen interest in group restaurants over the last few years drove rapid expansion to increase profits, to the detriment of the dining experience. |
Data firm CGA estimates that the number of group restaurants in the UK increased by almost 30% to 5,785 in the five years to March 2019. | Data firm CGA estimates that the number of group restaurants in the UK increased by almost 30% to 5,785 in the five years to March 2019. |
Bad reviews and concerns over the quality of ingredients have also increased at many restaurant chains, including Jamie's. | Bad reviews and concerns over the quality of ingredients have also increased at many restaurant chains, including Jamie's. |
The firm was caught up in a meat recall by supplier Russell Hume, which the Food Standards Agency found was "unable to demonstrate compliance with food hygiene rules". | The firm was caught up in a meat recall by supplier Russell Hume, which the Food Standards Agency found was "unable to demonstrate compliance with food hygiene rules". |
But Jonathan Woodhouse, a former manager at Fifteen in London, thinks the man at the helm is not at fault. | But Jonathan Woodhouse, a former manager at Fifteen in London, thinks the man at the helm is not at fault. |
While he concedes that the group "grew too big and tried to do too much," Mr Oliver, he says, "gets a bad rep for everything". | While he concedes that the group "grew too big and tried to do too much," Mr Oliver, he says, "gets a bad rep for everything". |
The Italian branches, he adds, were "effectively franchises" and run very differently to the TV chef's early restaurants. | The Italian branches, he adds, were "effectively franchises" and run very differently to the TV chef's early restaurants. |
Mr Woodhouse says working at Fifteen was "one of the best jobs" he'd ever had, and that Oliver was trying to do "something special" there, with his groundbreaking apprenticeship programme. | Mr Woodhouse says working at Fifteen was "one of the best jobs" he'd ever had, and that Oliver was trying to do "something special" there, with his groundbreaking apprenticeship programme. |
"It's heartbreaking to hear it may go under," he adds. | "It's heartbreaking to hear it may go under," he adds. |