Casual Dining Group, which owns brands including Las Iguanas, Café Rouge and Bella Italia, announced it was investigating the sale of the firm.

The group said it had received “strong expressions of interest” and that selling the firm was one of several options it was considering for its companies, which employ more than 6,000 people with around 250 restaurants across the UK. According to the news on The Caterer, a spokesperson for Casual Dining Group said: “On 18 May, as a protective measure, the company filed a Notice of Intention (NOI) to appoint an administrator. This is an unprecedented situation for our industry and, like many other companies across the UK, we have been working closely with our advisors to consider our next steps. We recognise that this is a very difficult time for our employees and we will do everything we can to support them through this period of uncertainty.”