TGI Fridays UK Faces Administration as Rescue Talks Continue

The operator of TGI Fridays restaurants in the United Kingdom has submitted its third consecutive notice of intent to appoint administrators, extending the deadline for finalising a potential rescue arrangement for the struggling casual dining brand.

Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group, which manages the chain’s British operations, lodged the latest filing on Wednesday, providing the business with an additional ten-day window to conclude negotiations with prospective investors or buyers. The legal mechanism prevents creditors from pursuing debt collection during this period.

Industry sources suggest the hospitality group may unveil insolvency proposals within days, potentially as early as next week. The repeated filings indicate ongoing efforts to structure a viable solution for the restaurant operator’s future.

One scenario under consideration involves a pre-pack administration arrangement, whereby a purchaser would be identified before formal insolvency proceedings commence. Under such a framework, the new owner would acquire the business or selected assets immediately upon administrator appointment

According to market reports, any restructuring could result in the closure of up to twenty outlets from the current estate, though final decisions on site numbers remain under discussion. The chain presently operates 49 locations throughout Britain, employing approximately 2,000 hospitality workers.

The American-themed restaurant brand experienced significant upheaval previously when its former British operator entered administration. That collapse led to Breal Capital and Calveton UK acquiring the remaining sites in 2024, though 35 restaurants were shuttered in the process, resulting in roughly 1,000 redundancies across the workforce.

The current situation marks another challenging period for the casual dining sector, which continues to navigate pressure from rising operational costs and shifting consumer spending patterns in the licensed trade.