Leon, after entering administration in December, has closed down 22 restaurants and cut 244 jobs, according to administrators at Quantuma Advisory. The latest report shows that the company now employs 573 staff, with plans to shut down approximately 20 unprofitable locations.
While a complete list of the closed branches has not been disclosed by Leon, notable closures include various restaurants. The Telegraph has highlighted that the company faced losses of £12.5 million in 2023, £8.3 million in 2024, and nearly £10 million based on preliminary figures for 2025.
In response to the challenges, Leon’s co-founder, John Vincent, revealed intentions to focus on expanding into service stations, airports, and train stations rather than traditional high street locations. Vincent emphasized the higher profit margins achievable in transportation hubs compared to standard retail areas.
Attributing the closures to upcoming changes in business rates calculation and general cost escalations, Vincent explained that Leon’s decision was influenced by the evolving market conditions. Founded in 2004 by Vincent, Henry Dimbleby, and Allegra McEvedy, Leon operates 44 company-owned restaurants and 22 franchised outlets.
Vincent repurchased the business from Asda in 2025 after it was previously sold to EG Group in 2021 and integrated into Asda in 2023. Leon has introduced a support program for employees affected by store closures, aiming to either relocate them to other Leon restaurants or provide redundancy payments. Additionally, an arrangement with Pret A Manger allows impacted Leon employees to seek job opportunities through a dedicated channel.
