Staff made redundant after West Midlands restaurants forced to close with 'immediate effect'

The Bistrot Pierre restaurants in Birmingham and Kidderminster have closed their doors following the parent company being bought out of pre-pack administration in a move that it said would save almost 400 jobs.

The restaurants at the Riverside Walk retail and leisure development, next to Weaver’s Wharf in Kidderminster and the Mailbox in Birmingham closed at the end of last week alongside restaurants in Mere Green, Newport, Southport, Preston, Leamington Spa and Coventry, with the lost of 158 jobs.

It had opened in Birmingham in 2016 and in Kidderminster in 2017, with 50 new jobs having been created at the Kidderminster restaurant at the time.

In a statement on Facebook, Bistrot Pierre Kidderminster said: "It is with great sadness that we announce the permanent closure of Bistrot Pierre Kidderminster with immediate effect.

"The Bistrot Pierre brand is now under new ownership and will continue to operate in 10 locations.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support over the years."

Cherry Equity Partners, a new investment platform led by hospitality executive Ed Strandring, has acquired part of Bistrot Pierre and ensured that ten Bistrot Pierre restaurants around the country will continue to trade, safeguarding 394 jobs.

Administrators Interpath Advisory said they would be providing support to those impacted "as a matter of priority".

Bistrot Pierre was last sold out of pre-pack administration in 2020 and has struggled to return to profitability since the pandemic.

It posted a pre-tax loss of £2.5m in the year ended 30 June 2023 while turnover dropped to £24.4m, down from £28.4m the previous year, according to filings on Companies House.

Nick White, chief executive of Bistrot Pierre, said planned increases around National Insurance and the National Minimum Wage in April meant it was impossible for some of the chain’s smaller sites to keep trading.

He said: “We are delighted to have secured the future of the business and, with the backing of Cherry Equity Partners, now have a strong platform in place for future growth.

“At the same time, we are tremendously sad to see eight of our sites close. 

"The impending increases in National Minimum Wage and National Insurance contributions will add hundreds of thousands of pounds to our costs, making our smaller locations simply unviable.

“We’d like to express our sincere thanks to our teams that have worked so hard to serve the fantastic customers that have visited these locations over the years.”

Ed Standring, chief executive of Cherry Equity Partners, said: “Bistrot Pierre is a well-loved Bistrot, bar and boutique rooms business with a great heritage, and we’re looking forward to working with Nick and the team to invest and grow the business.”