Jamie Oliver wants to open more restaurants in the UK, five years after his Jamie’s Italian chain collapsed with debts of £83m.
But he will steer clear of the UK casual dining sector because of the “huge pressures” on mid-market restaurants.
“We’re going to be very strategic and targeted about what we do in the UK restaurant space,” said Kevin Styles, who took over as chief executive of Oliver’s business empire last year. “We’re not trying to execute a 30-40 site restaurant chain.”
Oliver announced recently he would be returning to the British restaurant scene with the opening of Jamie Oliver Catherine Street in Covent Garden, WC1, in November.
Oliver’s companies, which earn money from overseas franchising and media interests, saw turnover increase by 8.1% to £29.7m and earnings rise to £9.3m. Oliver and his wife, Jools, were paid a total dividend of £6.8m.
The international franchise business now has 70 outlets in 22 countries.
