Axe falls on Worrall Thompson restaurants

The chain of restaurants owned by celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thompson has been forced to axe six outlets with the loss of 60 jobs.

The AWT restaurant group was forced into administration over the weekend after its lenders refused to extend an overdraft facility.

Worrall Thompson told the Daily Mail an extension of £200,000 from Lloyds Banking Group could have saved the restaurants.

"It makes me cry," he said. "It is just appalling. I am furious... that the banks didn't support me."
Worrall Thompson bought back two of the six outlets from administrators using his own funds and has retained his shop in Windsor.

He added: "I have learned from these banks that if you owe a couple of hundred thousand like we did they have got you by the balls. You owe them £10m and you have them by the balls."

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