Popular fast food chain confirms closure of restaurants as it exits administration
Jen Thomas
Featured Image Credit: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A restaurant chain which has prided itself on 'healthy' fast food has closed 23 stores over the last few months, and is exiting administration.
Leon was formed back in 2004 and fast became a popular option for providing an alternative to the deep-fried offerings elsewhere on the high street.
Asda took over back in 2023, before original co-owner, John Vincent, purchased it back in October 2025.
At the time, it was reported he splashed out between £30 and £50 million to bring Leon back under his control.
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Sadly, not long after it was revealed that 244 jobs had been axed, and it has now been confirmed that 23 stores have closed down since.
Leon reported losses of £12.5m in 2023, £8.3m in 2024, and almost £10m on draft figures for 2025, as per the firm.
Administrators BTG Begbies Traynor and Quantuma had been appointed previously to 'lay out options for the future of the company.'
However, Vincent has put more than £2.5 million of funds back into the business, and it is now exiting administration, reports The Sun.
Vincent acknowledged the brand had drifted from its 'core values' prior to his return, and said it seemed Asda had 'bigger fish to fry'.
“Leon was always a business they didn't feel fitted their strategy,” he claimed.
He insisted that they weren't the outliers in the current climate: “If you look at the performance of Leon's peers, you will see that everyone is facing challenges – companies are reporting significant losses due to working patterns and increasingly unsustainable taxes.”
Following the sad closure news, Vincent told The Grocer: “I would like to thank everyone inside and outside Leon who has helped over the last few months as we have undergone a painful but necessary restructuring to secure the company’s future.
“We have now reached the point where the company can exit administration and continue its rejuvenation as a smaller but more sustainable company devoted to serving wonderful food to its customers.
“There is a lot of affection for Leon, and I am committed to working on behalf of our guests, teams and suppliers to make the company what people want it to be.”
Staff who faced losing their jobs were reportedly helped to apply for jobs at Pret A Manger. instead.
Vincent also said the ‘most unprofitable restaurants’ would be assisted to help landlords find ‘other brands’ to replace them.
“In other [cases] we will be asking the landlords to take the leases back and find better suited operators themselves,” he added.