Yo! Sushi to close 19 restaurants and cut 250 jobs

Sushi chain Yo! has said it plans to shut 19 of its sites and cut up to 250 jobs in a bid to protect its long-term future.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The restaurant chain, which has 59 restaurants and 10 concessions across the UK, announced the cuts as part of a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) restructuring process.

In Leeds, the Yo! Sushi restaurant moved from inside Harvey Nichols into the Trinity Leeds shopping centre in 2013.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
The opening party of YO! Sushi in Trinity Leeds in 2013. Pictured: Two Leeds Japarrazi Girls, Natasha Southam, left and Nelle Choudry. Photo: Mike CowlingThe opening party of YO! Sushi in Trinity Leeds in 2013. Pictured: Two Leeds Japarrazi Girls, Natasha Southam, left and Nelle Choudry. Photo: Mike Cowling
The opening party of YO! Sushi in Trinity Leeds in 2013. Pictured: Two Leeds Japarrazi Girls, Natasha Southam, left and Nelle Choudry. Photo: Mike Cowling

The company said that sites earmarked for closure are "no longer financially viable" and have unsustainable rental costs in the current trading environment.

The group shut its sites temporarily in the face of the pandemic in March, before starting to reopen sites last month with a new model in place to deliver food to customers in line with safety regulations.

Meals at its restaurants are now sent directly to customers on belts with a traffic light system after its previous conveyor belt model was thwarted by new safety guidelines.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It said changes to its operations are "delivering significant cost savings" and have been "well received by guests".

-> River Island to cull 350 jobs at its storesYo! said its reopened sites will continue as normal during the CVA process, while its Manchester Arndale, Birmingham Grand Central and Meadowhall will reopen with the new format in the coming weeks.

Richard Hodgson, chief executive officer of the chain, said: "Like the rest of the sector, we need to take decisive action to adapt to the lasting changes that the Covid pandemic has brought about.

"While we have already taken measures to reduce costs, rents remain an issue. In the current climate, it's just not viable for us to keep any sites that no longer perform.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"While it's been a very difficult decision to make and I am very sorry that it will mean losing many of our team members, a CVA has become an essential measure to secure our business for the future, and enable us to protect as many jobs as possible."

The company also runs 52 kiosks in Tesco stores but said these will be unaffected by the CVA proposal.

A message from the Editor: Leeds has a fantastic story to tell - and the Yorkshire Evening Post has been rooted firmly at the heart of telling the stories of our city since 1890. We believe in ourselves and hope you believe in us too. We need your support to help ensure we can continue to be at the heart of life in Leeds. Subscribe to our website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe. For more details on our newspaper subscription offers click here.

Thank you

Laura Collins