Leon, after entering administration in December, has closed down 22 restaurants and eliminated 244 positions. The latest update from administrators at Quantuma Advisory indicates that Leon now operates with 573 employees. The chain had previously announced the closure of approximately 20 unprofitable sites.
Although a comprehensive list of the closed branches has not been disclosed by Leon, reports confirm the shutdown of several restaurants. Financial data from The Telegraph show losses of £12.5 million in 2023, £8.3 million in 2024, and nearly £10 million based on preliminary figures for 2025.
Co-founder John Vincent recently outlined plans to expand into service stations, airports, and train stations, emphasizing the profitability of transport hubs. He emphasized the potential for a 2% profit margin at an airport to be equivalent to a 6% margin on the high street due to higher revenue potential in these locations.
Attributing the closures to impending changes in business rates calculation and rising costs, Mr. Vincent highlighted the challenges faced by companies in the current economic landscape. Founded in 2004 by Mr. Vincent, Henry Dimbleby, and Allegra McEvedy, Leon operates 44 company-owned restaurants and 22 franchised locations.
Mr. Vincent repurchased the business from Asda in 2025 after it was acquired by Mohsin Issa and Zuber Issa’s EG Group in 2021 and integrated into Asda in 2023. He mentioned that Leon did not align with Asda’s strategic objectives and emphasized the industry-wide challenges faced by businesses.
Leon has introduced a support program for employees affected by store closures, aiming to relocate them to other Leon restaurants or provide redundancy payments where necessary. Additionally, a partnership with Pret A Manger allows affected Leon employees to seek job opportunities through a dedicated channel.