
7

"A once-prominent casual Italian chain came within two weeks of folding last year after a turbulent 2018 that included closing 35 restaurants under a Company Voluntary Agreement. Management says an overly aggressive expansion into marginal sites drained cash and distracted the business from its core operations, leaving insufficient investment in refurbishments, staff training and keeping the brand fresh. Executives acknowledged that opening roughly a restaurant a month proved a major distraction, forcing a reassessment of the estate and strategy to stabilise the business." - Emma Hughes