Burger chain collapses into administration after being forced to close all but three branches

A popular London-based burger chain has collapsed into administration after closing the majority of its branches.

MEATliquor, operated by Meatalier, has officially appointed administrators, according to The Gazette.

The burger joint was once considered a cult-favourite spot for Londoners seeking high-quality street food and beer.

However, rising energy bills and operating costs have left the chain in financial difficulties as it shut five of its eight London locations last month, including those in Islington, Clapham Junction, and Queensway.

Just three of its restaurants remain open, with two in Oxford Circus and East Dulwich, and its sister sports bar, BLOODsports, in Covent Garden. 

Speaking to Restaurant Online in March, founder Scott Collins previously said: 'On top of VAT, rates, beef and energy costs, we've now got a new war creating uncertainty and more Tube strikes to deal with.

'We're in the same position as a lot of others in the industry and I'm just getting ahead of things before we're forced to.'

The burger chain was first launched in 2009 by Yianni Papoutsis alongside business partner Scott Collins. 

Beginning as a mobile burger van, known as the MEATwagon, it evolved into a series of restaurants, opening its first permanent location near Oxford Street in 2011

At its peak, the burger chain operated 13 restaurants with 12 in the UK and one in Singapore.  

It comes as the once equally as trendy burger joint Patty&Bun revealed the closure of four of its six venues on Instagram, writing: 'We've loved being part of these communities and just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who's walked through these doors.

'It's been a privilege to serve you. To our teams past and present, the graft, the energy, the madness and the love you put into every shift... we're endlessly grateful.'

Among the closures was the brand's first-ever location in Marylebone, London, which launched in November 2012.

Now, just two brick-and-mortar sites remain - perhaps unsurprising after the group, founded by Joe Grossman, last year announced a restructure that saw the group's assets acquired by a new company.

Hardships have even spread to the cult favourite Five Guys, with losses widening across the European arm.

In October last year, the division, headquartered in London, shared a pre-tax loss of £36.7m for 2024, following a pre-tax loss of £16.7m in 2023.

Five Guys, founded by the Murrell family in 1986, also made a pre-tax loss of £35.6m in 2022, City AM reported.

The losses may be related to the brand's high cost points, with prices of £13.35 for a bacon cheeseburger and £6.95 for a large fries in the London Portobello branch, meaning a single meal could reach a total of £20.30.

The once-booming GBK has also faced uncertainty it recent years, as it closed 26 restaurants and axed 362 jobs in 2020.

The burger chain had been purchased in a rescue deal by Boparan Restaurant Group, which also plucked Carluccio's from insolvency during the pandemic.

GBK said it had started to see improvements in trading the year prior after a major restructuring process in 2018, which saw it shut a raft of sites.

However, the company, which had been owned by the South African group Famous Brands, said it slid into administration after the pandemic impacted its liquidity and potential to be sold as a solvent business.