Suppliers
Frequently asked questions for suppliers
What does ‘going into administration’ mean?
Going into administration means the company is being taken under the management of administrators who are licensed insolvency practitioners. The Joint Administrators assume control of the company from its current directors.
Administration is one of a number of insolvency processes and is intended to either:
Rescue the company as a going concern (primary objective)
Achieve a better result for creditors as a whole than in liquidation (if rescue is not possible); or
Realise property to make a distribution to secured or preferential creditors (only if (1) and (2) are not reasonably practical).
What is an administrator?
An administrator is an officer of the Court and is qualified to manage the affairs of a business when it is insolvent. It is their role to take control of a company’s affairs when it is in financial difficulty and try to find a longer term solution for it.
The Joint Administrators act as agents of the company and without personal liability.
What has happened?
The Companies have been affected by challenging trading conditions, predominantly because of the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to significant periods of closure and restricted trading. These disruptions necessitated additional borrowings to stabilise the business and preserve its operational footprint.
Post-pandemic, the business has continued to face sector-wide macroeconomic challenges, including elevated interest rates, cost inflation across key inputs such as food and energy, and a temporary decline in consumer confidence affecting discretionary spending. These pressures have constrained profitability and growth, despite the Group’s ongoing investment in its estate and efforts to retain its strong brand positioning in the premium dining market.
Despite an open and comprehensive marketing process, no viable offers were received for a share sale of either company. As a result, the sale of the business and assets of 15 sites was determined to be the most effective route to maximise returns for creditors as a whole.
However, six trading sites were not sold during the process. Following the appointment of the Joint Administrators, trading will cease immediately upon appointment and a controlled wind down of the remaining business will be undertaken.
I am owed money. What notification will I receive?
The Joint Administrators will issue a letter to all known creditors of the Companies’ within 7 days of the Joint Administrators’ appointments. This letter will include details for creditors on how to make a claim in the administrations.
The Joint Administrators will produce a report to all known creditors and members within one week of the appointments. This report, known as the Joint Administrators’ proposals, will outline the steps taken by the Administrators to date and set out the strategy going forwards. It will be made available via upload to this website following the issue of the website notice alongside the initial creditors’ letter. This report will outline steps taken by the Joint Administrators since their appointments, detailed information on the proposed strategy for the administrations going forwards, including estimated returns for the various classes of creditor.
The Joint Administrators are also required to provide a written update on the administrations to all known creditors every six months. This report(s) will be published directly to the case website within one month of every six month anniversary.
I have goods on site. Can I get them back? (Retention of title)
If you believe you have a Retention of Title claim over goods at one of the sites which has transferred to the Purchaser then please reach out to your usual contact to discuss further.
If you believe you have a Retention of Title claim over goods at one of the closed sites then please email us at uk_oirl_suppliers@pwc.com to request a retention of title questionnaire.
You will be asked for further details, such as a copy of your standard terms and conditions, copies of unpaid invoices, and other evidence as required by us.
Our appointment means that you can’t start or continue legal action, enforce security, or repossess any goods held by the Companies unless we agree or the court allows it.
When will I get paid?
Payment for goods and services provided prior to the date of appointment will not be paid for as an expense of the administration estates.
All outstanding amounts at the date of the Joint Administrators’ appointment rank as an unsecured claim in the administrations.
At this stage, we expect that there will be funds available to make a distribution to the unsecured creditors in OIRL and ODL. We will contact creditors directly with instructions and portal access credentials in the coming weeks.
At this stage, if your claim includes VAT, you may be able to obtain VAT bad debt relief six months after your supply.
Will you refund the costs incurred in preparing a claim?
We are unable to refund the costs in preparing a claim. Consequently, we cannot refund any expenses incurred in obtaining information necessary to make a claim.
For all other supplier queries, please email: uk_oirl_suppliers@pwc.com
