Diners to stay shut

THE owner of restaurant chains Frankie & Benny’s and Wagamama says one in 10 of its sites will not reopen this year, creating panic over jobs.

This is most likely to affect airport sites, which are suffering from a pandemictriggered slump in passenger numbers.

About 40 restaurant outlets are expected to be hit by the extended closures.

The Restaurant Group did not give details about staff who were employed at those sites but the vast majority of its 20,000 workforce has been furloughed since the start of lockdown.

Last month, the company announced plans to shut 125 sites, putting up to 3000 jobs at risk.

The latest threat comes as a day after 7000 high street jobs were left hanging in the balance at chemist Boots, John Lewis and Burger King.