Franchising, retail, business
20/06/2014
Landlords support Tragus' plans to slash its rental bill on 51 restaurants and the sale of 56 Strada restaurants
Tragus, the owner of Café Rouge and Bella Italia has secured the backing of landlords to go ahead with a controversial restructuring that will slash its rental bill and put the company on more stable financial footing.
Between 80pc and 90pc of landlords and creditors supported the company voluntary arrangement (CVA) plans at a meeting yesterday on Friday. Under the terms of the CVA, Tragus will retain current rent payments at 150 restaurant sites out of 290 sites, while halving its rent payments on 32 properties and reducing rent to 60pc of current levels on 19 properties.
The only alternative to a CVA is often administration, which would require landlords to shoulder even bigger losses.
Tragus’ financial advisers Zolfo Cooper are also managing a sale process for the company’s other Italian restaurant chain, Strada.
The Telegrah has prevously reported that rival Italian chain Prezzo is weighing a takeover of Strada’s 70 sites alongside restauranteur Richard Caring and private equity firms.
By: telegraph.co.uk