Le Frog leaps out of administration via MBO

Casual dining restaurant chain Le Frog has been rescued from administration following a management buyout.

Acting on behalf of administrators Begbies Traynor, property agent Christie & Co has sold four of the original five North-west based restaurants owned by The Grill Group for an undisclosed sum to Paul Lilley, former chief executive of The Grill Group.

The four restaurants, in Ormskirk, Fullwood and Wigan in Lancashire, and St Helens, Merseyside, will continue to operate under the Le Frog brand. The Warrington site has been closed.

Wolfteam, the part of The Grill Group which operated Le Frog, was placed in administration in October.

Lilley, former group finance director of Aberdeen Steak House owner The Noble Organisation, set up The Shire Group in 2005.

It began with the Pastiche and Le Frog brands before changing its name to The Grill Group after buying Smollensky's chain of restaurants for £6.5m last September.

However, The Grill Group is now in the process of disposing of the Smollensky's sites after they were hit by the consumer slowdown.

Le Frog Bistro croaks and is placed in administration >>

Grill Group puts two more Smollensky's up for sale >>

Smollensky's sold to private equity firm for £6.5m >>

Smollensky's owner considering sale >>

By Daniel Thomas

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