Jamie's Italian to return six years after collapse

Jamie's Italian will return to the UK dining scene next year, six years after the chain went into administration.

Its founder, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, will reopen the first new site in central London backed by the investors behind another Italian restaurant chain, Prezzo.

They plan to expand the brand further, a return Oliver said was "incredibly important" for him personally.

At its peak, there were more than 40 Jamie's Italian sites across the UK, but after rapid expansion and a changing market, the company ran into trouble.

The restaurants closed across the UK in 2019 with the loss of more than 1,000 jobs, but more than 30 international restaurants survived.

Oliver, who has overseen the menu for the new site in Leicester Square, said he recognised it would be a challenge restarting the brand.

"In theory it's not the easiest time to return but conversely, I think it's the perfect time.

"I believe the mid-market needs excitement, surprise and delight and that's exactly what I am planning on delivering," he said.

The return of Jamie's Italian to the UK is part of a franchise agreement between Oliver and Brava Hospitality Group, which runs Prezzo. Unlike last time, Oliver is not investing his own cash in the venture.

After the chain's collapse he was left with debts of £80m.

However his other business interests remained in healthy shape: there is estimated to be one Jamie Oliver cookery book for every two UK households and his TV series, which began with The Naked Chef in 1999, have been shown in 189 territories.

The brand's resurrection comes at a time when UK hospitality bosses have complained of a tough trading environment and cost pressures such as increased staffing costs and changes to business rates.

At the time of Jamie's Italian 2019 collapse, 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 demise.