Burger chain shuts city site

HAMBURGER chain Byron has shut it Glasgow branch just 18 months after opening.

Bosses have contacted customers to alert them to closure of the West George Street branch.

An email to regulars reads: “After 18 months of serving proper hamburgers, we have closed our Glasgow restaurant.”

Glasgow has become packed with burger chains in recent years with Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Five Guys launching nearby. Buddy’s, Bread Meats Bread, Burger Meats Bun, Jacker de Viande, Meat Hammer and Lebowski’s all opened up in the city, too.

At its launch, Byron hired more than 40 staff for what was its first Scottish site.

When it opening, founder Tom Byng said: “Glasgow has a great burger scene and a fantastic restaurant scene in general. We always like to be in good company.”

Byron, founded in 2007, sources beef from a number of farms in Scotland.

But in July 2016 Glasgow residents were called to join in a boycott of Byron after the chain’s involvement in a government initiative to round up migrant staff for immigration offences. A Byron spokesman said: “We can confirm that the Byron in Glasgow closed on January 4. All restaurant staff were offered the opportunity of redeployment to other stores.”

Asked why the decision to close was taken and how many staff are affected the spokesman declined to comment.