Full list of 72 Côte Brasserie restaurants at risk of closure as chain ‘up for sale' – is one getting the chop near you?
The upmarket bistro chain, loved for its croque monsieurs and steak frites, has already shut several sites.
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While around 60 branches are said to be profitable, insiders warn that underperforming locations could be axed if no buyer is found.
Private equity firm Partners Group, which rescued Côte from collapse in 2020, has now called in Interpath Advisory to find a buyer – sparking fears of a major shake-up across the chain.
Several restaurants have already bitten the dust, including Gloucester Quays, which closed earlier this year, and Hampstead, which shut after 14 years.
The Harrogate branch also closed in April, with hopes of relocating elsewhere in the town.
Sources say rising costs, staff shortages, and soaring energy bills have put intense pressure on the business, leaving every branch under review as the sale process unfolds.
Now diners across the country are bracing for bad news – and wondering if their go-to Côte is next on the chopping block.
Full list of Côte Brasserie locations that have closed:
Gloucester Quays
Hampstead (London)
Harrogate
Manchester (St Mary's Street, Deansgate)
Trinity Leeds
Haywards Heath
Full list of Côte Brasserie locations currently operational, but at risk:
Barbican
Covent Garden
Hay's Galleria
Kensington
Marylebone
Sloane Square
Soho
St Christopher's Place
St Katharine Docks
St Martin's Lane
St Paul's
Barnes
Blackheath
Chislehurst
Chiswick
Ealing
Kingston
Muswell Hill
Richmond
Royal Festival Hall
Teddington
Wimbledon
Basingstoke
Bluewater
Brighton
Canterbury
Chichester
Esher
Farnham
Guildford
Hanley on Thames
Horsham
Lewes
Marlow
Newbury
Oxford
Reading
Reigate
Tunbridge Wells
Winchester
Windsor
Woking
Wokingham
Bath
Bournemouth
Bristol - Clifton Village
Bristol - Quaker Friars
Cheltenham
Cirencester
Dorchester
Exeter
Salisbury
West Bridgford
Bishop's Stortford
Bury St Edmunds
Cambridge
Chelmsford
Norwich
Peterborough
St Albans
Welwyn Garden City
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Central
Chester
Liverpool
Newcastle
York
Edinburgh
Leamington Spa
Shrewsbury
Solihull
Worcester
What happens next?
All 72 Côte Brasserie branches are on the chopping block as the chain goes up for sale – but that doesn't mean they'll all shut.
While some fan-favourite spots could be spared, every single restaurant is under review, and it all comes down to the buyer, the books, and the bottom line.
Huge restaurant chain 'up for sale' putting 70 sites at risk of closure
Only the most profitable sites are likely to survive, so diners are being warned: no location is safe just yet.
Chair of UK Hospitality, Kate Nicholls, said: "If we carry on with these trends and the situation doesn't improve - and clearly Rachel Reeves 's statements are giving a signal to consumers that it is not going to get better any time soon - then I would see this accelerating.
"Unless there is a change of tack by the government, we are looking at 150,000-200,000 fewer workers in hospitality during the first full year of [employer national insurance contribution] changes."
What is happening to the hospitality industry?
By Emily Mee, Consumer reporter
RESTAURANTS and pubs have faced a series of blows in recent years.
The pandemic had already hit businesses hard as hospitality venues were forced to close during lockdowns.
Then they were dealt another blow when the cost of living crisis ramped up, causing customers to spend less on eating out.
At the same time they've been dealing with higher costs of things like energy, rents and supplies.
More recently they've also been hit by the Government's hike in National Insurance costs for employers.
At the same time, the national minimum wage increased - making it more expensive to hire employees.
It's led to numerous chains collapsing or having to close sites in recent years.
TGI Fridays collapsed into administration last year, although has since launched a huge comeback after being forced to close 35 restaurants.
Britain's largest fish and chip chain, Deep Blue Restaurants, has also sold off five of its popular sites.
The brand owns popular chain Harry Ramsden's.
Plus, dim sum chain Ping Pong has closed all of its locations across the country after reporting it had faced "significant disruption" due to the pandemic.
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