Byron Hamburgers

Byron Hamburgers Limited, trading as Byron, is a British restaurant chain offering a casual dining service with a focus on hamburgers. The chain was founded in 2007 by Tom Byng.[1][2] In July 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the chain closed outlets as part of a deal transferring 20 remaining sites and 551 staff to a new owner, Calverton UK.[3]

Byron Hamburgers Limited
Private limited company
IndustryRestaurants
Founded2007 (2007)
HeadquartersLondon, England, UK
Number of locations
20
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
Simon Wilkinson (CEO)
ProductsHamburgers
ParentCalverton UK
Websitewww.byron.co

Locations
Byron burger bar, the former Intrepid Fox, Soho, London

The burger chain is UK-based. In January 2020, it had 51 locations, 32 of which were located in London.[4]

History

The burger chain was founded in London in 2007 by Tom Byng, who developed the idea for the company while living in New York City, during which time he would regularly eat at the Silver Top Diner in Providence, Rhode Island.[5]

The chain was owned by Gondola Group, which also owns Ask and Zizzi. Gondola announced plans to sell Byron in October 2012.[6] Potential buyers included Quilvest,[1] owners of YO! Sushi. In June 2013 Gondola stated that it was abandoning plans to sell Byron, after offers failed to reach the company's estimated £100m price tag, and decided to accelerate expansion of Byron instead.[7]

In October 2013, Hutton Collins Partners finally put in the £100 million offer and the chain was sold.[8][9] In 2017 Hutton Collins sold a majority stake in Byron Hamburgers to Three Hills Capital Partners, with FPP Asset Management also becoming a new investor, while retaining a minority stake.[10]

On 29 June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Three Hills announced it was preparing to place the 51-restaurant chain into administration, hoping to trigger a quick pre-pack sale.[11] Just over a month later, on 31 July 2020, the chain announced it was permanently closing permanently more than half its 51 outlets, with the loss of 650 jobs, as part of a deal transferring the remaining 20 sites and 551 staff to a new owner, Calverton UK.[3]

Controversies

In July 2016, the company attracted adverse publicity after calling their London workers to a faked Health and Safety briefing following a request by the Home Office. Immigration officials present at the venue arrested several employees, deporting 35 for immigration offences.[12][13] This led to protests outside several of their branches in London, including the release of live cockroaches and locusts at some premises and a call to boycott the chain.[14][15]

In September 2019, Byron was found responsible for the death of a customer by an inquest. Owen Carey told staff he was allergic to dairy, suffered an anaphylactic reaction on his 18th birthday after eating grilled chicken marinaded in buttermilk at the Byron restaurant at The O2 Arena in London on 22 April 2017. [16]

See also

References
  1. Bow, Michael (20 May 2013). "YO! Sushi owner gets taste for Byron burgers". City A.M. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  2. Mike Kelly (11 May 2015). "Newcastle city centre to get a Byron burger restaurant as plans submitted for new branch". chroniclelive.co.uk.
  3. "Byron Burger sheds 650 jobs and closes more than half its outlets". BBC News. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  4. "Find & Book". www.byron.co.
  5. "BYRON HAMBURGERS: STORY" (Press release). Bryonhamburgers.com. Archived from the original on 2015-03-16. Retrieved 2015-03-26.
  6. Quinn, James (6 October 2012). "Byron hamburger chain up for sale". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  7. Walsh, Dominic (14 June 2013). "Gondola changes course on Byron burger sale". The Times. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  8. "Sale of Byron to Hutton Collins Partners" (PDF). Gondola Group. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  9. Thomas, Nathalie (18 October 2013). "Byron burger chain sold in £100m deal". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  10. "Byron Burgers owner sells majority stake in rescue deal". The Telegraph. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  11. Neate, Rupert (29 June 2020). "Byron to go into administration in attempt to sell parts of burger chain". Guardian. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  12. "Immigration Raid on Byron Hamburgers Rounds Up 35 Workers". The Guardian. 24 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  13. "Immigration arrests at Byron burger chain". July 28, 2016 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  14. "Bugging Byron: activists release cockroaches locusts at burger chain". The Guardian. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  15. "Protesters have thrown hundreds of cockroaches into Bryon burger restaurants". The Independent. July 30, 2016.
  16. "Allergic teenager who died was misled about Byron burger – coroner". September 13, 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
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