Bakery chain Le Pain Quotidien is on brink of collapse putting 500 high street jobs at risk 

Bakery chain Le Pain Quotidien is close to collapse, putting 500 high street jobs at risk.  

The Belgian-owned company could appoint administrators as soon as this week, making it the latest victim of the coronavirus crisis.

There are 26 Le Pain sites in Britain and bosses have launched an emergency sale process, with a deadline of Wednesday for offers.  

Alvarez & Marsal, the professional services firm, is overseeing the auction to buy Le Pain and is likely to be appointed as administrator unless a solvent sale is concluded in the coming days, insiders said on Monday.

One potential bidder said a pre-pack administration was the likeliest outcome.

The news comes after popular restaurant chain Carluccio’s previously announced it had gone into administration and rent-to-own giant Brighthouse also collapsed with the high street in turmoil amid the lockdown. 

Oasis and Warehouse are expected to appoint auditor Deloitte to run their administration

The impact of COVID-19 has caused a mandated lockdown of around 70% of non-food retailing in the U.K. The initial period of store closures will last for three weeks before it is subject to review. However, it is widely expected to be extended 

London-based Italian food chain Carluccio’s confirmed the future of its 102 restaurants and 2,000 jobs was now in jeopardy after it was forced to go into administration. 

The company is owned by the Dubai-based Landmark Group.

While Brighthouse said 2,400 jobs across 240 stores were now at risk as it urged customers to continue to make the monthly payments required to keep their household goods. 

High-street fashion chains Oasis and Warehouse also collapsed into administration last week, putting 2,000 workers at risk across 92 branches and 437 concessions.

The chains are expected to appoint auditor Deloitte to run their administration after coronavirus lockdown forced them to shut their 90 UK stores.

The brands, which are owned by the failed Icelandic bank Kaupthing, also have 437 concessions in department stores including Debenhams and Selfridges.

On Friday, department store retailer Debenhams confirmed the closure of seven shops with the loss of 422 jobs after sliding into administration last week.

It comes as shocking new figures revealed that more than 11 million Britons have been furloughed or left unemployed by the economic shutdown due to coronavirus.

Nearly a third of British workers have been affected by the downturn that has seen many businesses shuttered and employees unable to work.

The lockdown is pushing many firms to the brink of collapse, with one report warning today that up to 11.7million people could be furloughed or left jobless in the three months to the end of June.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is facing mounting pressure to boost his business bailout so that the Government increases its guarantee on loans to struggling firms to 100 per cent. 

Meanwhile, Britain’s high street giants could be wiped out in weeks if the coronavirus continues, consumer experts warned last week. 

A study of 34 non-food retailers including Dunelm, JD Sports, John Lewis and Next has found that many may not survive the pandemic sweeping the nation. 

Even after government support, more than half of major non-food UK retailers will run out of cash within six months, according to the report.

The study was conducted by professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), in partnership with Retail Economics. 

It found that five out of the 34 major non-food retailers analysed already had negative cash flow at the outbreak of the pandemic.

Nearly 3,000 gyms and leisure centres face closure with loss of 100,000 jobs as landlords use loophole to threaten eviction for unpaid rent during lockdown 

Nearly 3,000 gyms and leisure centres face the threat of closure after landlords threatened them with eviction for unpaid rent during the coronavirus lockdown.

Up to 100,000 jobs could now be at risk with trade body UKActive calling for urgent action to protect places of exercise which remain shut as the pandemic continues.

Fresh legislation to protect commercial tenants was brought in last month, but it does not stop landlords forcing them to pay rent withheld due to the lockdown.

An empty gym in Leicester on March 21 after the Government ordered them all to close

UKActive chief executive Huw Edwards told how taking legal action such as issuing statutory demands and winding up orders was ‘entirely disproportionate’.

He said yesterday: ‘A worrying number have decided to pursue statutory demand notices or winding up orders.

‘We need the Government to act now to direct within the Act that landlords cannot do this. With 2,800 gyms at risk of permanent closure, and 100,000 jobs at stake, time is of the essence.’

Section 82 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 introduced on March 25 intends to help protect commercial tenants by banning the forfeiture of commercial leases until June 30 – or longer if the Government deems necessary – for non-payment of rent.

But it does not stop landlords taking action such as rent arrears recovery, making a debt claim, issuing a statutory demand, or starting winding-up proceedings.

Notices on exercise equipment at a gym in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, notifying customers of social distancing measures on March 20, the day that all gyms in Britain were closed down

UKActive therefore wants the Government to amend the Act so landlords cannot purse legal action, and introduce financial support for them for a rent holiday.

In one case, David Lloyd Leisure asked a landlord for a waiver of rent due on March 25 until it can reopen its clubs, but the landlord replied by threating legal action.

The chain’s chief executive Glenn Earlham told BBC News : ‘This situation is unfortunately entirely outside of our control.

‘We want to work together with landlords to ensure we can survive this pandemic and emerge with businesses able to continue to pay rent and other costs in the future.’

And PureGym chief executive Humphrey Cobbold said: ‘Time is of the absolute essence, given that proceedings such as statutory demands and winding up orders threaten to force companies into insolvency within days of being issued.’