Leon to Cut Jobs and Close Fast Food Restaurants as Co-Founder John Vincent Seeks to Restructure Business.
Fast food chain Leon is on the verge of a major overhaul, with co-founder John Vincent appointed as administrator after taking the business back from Asda in October for £100m. The move comes just months after Vincent warned that the brand was facing financial difficulties due to reduced demand for takeaways.
Leon's decision to close underperforming restaurants and cut jobs is seen as a bid to restore the chain's fortunes, which have been impacted by the shift towards working from home. The company's sales fell 4% in 2024, while it reported a pre-tax loss of £8.38m.
Vincent has stated that Leon will continue to focus on its core values of serving "delicious food that is convenient and healthy". However, the entrepreneur has admitted that the brand needs to adapt to changing consumer habits and reduce costs.
As part of its restructuring plan, Leon has appointed Quantuma as advisers and aims to secure a stable financial future. The company has already begun closing restaurants, including three overseas franchises, and has signed up staff to training in wing tsun to improve operational efficiency.
Vincent's decision to take back the business from Asda was seen as an attempt to restore autonomy and direction at Leon, which had struggled under the supermarket chain's ownership. The co-founder acknowledged that Asda had bigger priorities than focusing on the brand, stating "they didn't feel fitted their strategy".
Leon has committed to supporting staff affected by job losses, with a plan in place for employees to apply for new roles within the company or at rival businesses like Pret a Manger.
Fast food chain Leon is on the verge of a major overhaul, with co-founder John Vincent appointed as administrator after taking the business back from Asda in October for £100m. The move comes just months after Vincent warned that the brand was facing financial difficulties due to reduced demand for takeaways.
Leon's decision to close underperforming restaurants and cut jobs is seen as a bid to restore the chain's fortunes, which have been impacted by the shift towards working from home. The company's sales fell 4% in 2024, while it reported a pre-tax loss of £8.38m.
Vincent has stated that Leon will continue to focus on its core values of serving "delicious food that is convenient and healthy". However, the entrepreneur has admitted that the brand needs to adapt to changing consumer habits and reduce costs.
As part of its restructuring plan, Leon has appointed Quantuma as advisers and aims to secure a stable financial future. The company has already begun closing restaurants, including three overseas franchises, and has signed up staff to training in wing tsun to improve operational efficiency.
Vincent's decision to take back the business from Asda was seen as an attempt to restore autonomy and direction at Leon, which had struggled under the supermarket chain's ownership. The co-founder acknowledged that Asda had bigger priorities than focusing on the brand, stating "they didn't feel fitted their strategy".
Leon has committed to supporting staff affected by job losses, with a plan in place for employees to apply for new roles within the company or at rival businesses like Pret a Manger.
I'm shocked 
they're closing down all those Leon restaurants 
I mean, I get it, demand is low and they need to cut costs 
but it's still gonna be a huge blow to so many people 
my friends work at Leon and now their jobs are in jeopardy 
I hope Quantuma can help them turn things around 
John Vincent seems like he really cares about the brand and its employees 
maybe this is the wake-up call they need to innovate and try new things 
. They're gonna have to make some serious changes if they wanna turn things around. Cutting jobs and closing underperforming restaurants is a bold move, but I think it's about time. I mean, 4% sales drop? That's a big decline. The whole working from home thing has definitely affected the takeaway industry.
I guess it's worth a shot to improve operational efficiency or whatever. But let's be real, Leon needs to focus on making better food if they wanna get people coming back in droves.
. And signing up staff for Wing Tsun training?! What's wrong with the people running this company? 
... Leon's got to be realistic here, it can't keep churning out burgers if nobody wants them 
. I feel bad for all those jobs that are getting cut tho 
... but at the same time, Vincent's trying to save the brand and get back on track 
. Can't blame him for wanting to adapt to changing habits 
. It's all about being smart and finding a new way forward 
.
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Quantuma's got a tough job ahead of them, but if anyone can turn things around, it's John Vincent - he's always been super passionate about what he does. Wing Tsun training is... interesting 
I'm kinda mixed about this news to be honest... on one hand, I get it - Leon's been struggling and they need to shake things up to stay afloat. I mean, who doesn't love their chicken fajita wraps 
, but the shift towards working from home has definitely changed the game. I just hope that by cutting jobs and closing underperforming restaurants, they're not losing the very essence of what made Leon great in the first place.
I mean, I get it - efficiency is key, but maybe there are better ways to do things without having staff learn martial arts. Still, I guess only time will tell if Vincent's plan works out. Fingers crossed for the Leon crew 
. Maybe this is just what Leon needs to refresh their strategy and come back stronger 
!
. I mean, I get it, things are tough and they need to cut costs, but it's just not right to see all those staff losing their jobs 
im not surprised though, he did say they were struggling due to reduced demand for takeaways and now we see them closing down restaurants and cutting jobs yeah thats a pretty standard move for a company in trouble... but i do hope they can get their act together, dont want to lose another beloved fast food joint 
. But wing tsun training for staff? That's just random 
. And what's up with the plan to make staff apply for new roles at rival businesses? Isn't that gonna be a bit harsh? 
I'm worried about all these job losses at Leon 
