|
He
visited the businesses recently
to tell employees their jobs no longer existed due to falling sales
and problems in securing bank loans.
Antony
Worrall Thompson's holding company, AWT Restaurants Ltd, went into
administration recently with the TV chef, 57, turning to personal
savings to help keep control of two other restaurants and a delicatessen.
"The
decision to go into administration has not been taken lightly,"
he said and he had "experienced an unexpected but decisive
fall in revenue across the businesses from September 2008".
Mr
Worrall Thompson, who lives with his wife Jacinta in
Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, said the decision was taken after he
failed to raise £200,000 from his bank to tide over the firm.
He
said: "Even though November and December sales were down on
the previous year, five of the seven businesses were profitable. Our
request for funds has not been supported, making administration a
difficult decision but an unavoidable one."
The
well known chef is said to be "devastated". |
