To think Jamie's Italian failed due to being shit rather than brexit

[Ll81]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5377965/Jamie-Olivers-Italian-restaurant-empire-racks-debts.html#article-5377965

Brexit is going to cause lots of problems for many years to come, but it's just a cheap shot blaming brexit. I've eaten in his Italian places twice and it was pretty shit food and bad value. Brexit or not I'm sure it wouldn't make much difference to his buisness this quickly.

I agree with everyone else. Jamie’s Italian was overpriced and the food was average chain restaurant fare, at best.

Jamie presents himself as one of the good guys, so if the reports of staff and small suppliers being owed money, He should reimburse them out of his own pocket.

I have to say that we like Jamie's Italian and go there a lot - enjoy the food - and find it's not overpriced compared with other places. Been to several branches, DC often request we go there. Had great pizza at a good price in Victoria a while back. Prezzo on the other hand sucks, dreadful menu & our local one had hygiene issues with vermin.

I was warned off Jamie'sItal last year, "bad food". I don't eat out much or like conventional Italian, anyway.

Delia: rumour is that food is quite mediocre at her restaurant at Canaries Football ground.

Jools?

We have one in our town centre. Wasn't at all thought through as we already have a pizza express, Bella Italia and strada already in situ. In comparison, it's over priced and not as good.
Besides, we have a local privately owned Italian, with fresh pizza made on site. They have a full gf menu too.
Why would I spend £££ at Jamie's Italian when I can get far better food for half the price? Brexit is not the problem here.

Well it's failing in Australia too, so the brexit excuse is not really applicable

Mostly because it's overpriced shite with shoddy service and also he's a bit of a sanctimonious twat

I went to the Brighton branch years ago . Everything was swimming in olive oil . Never considered returning, even though my local branch in Manchester is in a beautiful building .

Early on it was pretty good, over priced but I had a couple of good meals with good service and then it went downhill so fast, bad food, bad service and still too expensive.
The last time I went I had pasta that was soaking wet, hadn't been drained properly, there was grey water on the plate it was grim.

I think a lot of people were too poor to go to Jamie's restaurants, even before brexit. Obviously people are poorer now. And after next spring a lot more restaurants will be closing down. It was the will of the people ... blah.

When you take all the money off the poorer half and give it to the richest, everything starts to look bleak and shuts down. The Tory government is the main problem.

Went to Guildford once we never went back.

Left feeling ripped off. The children's menu was so ridiculously small ds was still hungry.

I'm.surprised it lasted as long as it did.

Yup

Shitty food and overpriced

I like Jamie but not his restaurant
Massive own goal

I can't eat chilli... so... I can't eat in Jamie's Italian. It's in everything!

Tried once as usually you can ask for the chilli to be left out but as all the food is pre-cooked in a factory somewhere and shipped in, they can't remove it there so I've never been back.

Agree, expensive and very poor food. I am really sorry for all the people who will lose their jobs, won't make any difference to Oliver unfortunately.

Oh dear.

The family and I are going on a trip in a few weeks and planned on eating at the one where we are going (Harrogate). Shall I avoid and find elsewhere?

Agree entirely. Took DD as a treat last summer and was really disappointed. Had been looking forward to it. Wish we hadn't bothered. She didn't enjoy hers (kids menu) at all and my salmon was abysmal. Service awful too. Couldn't wait to leave tbh!

cherry in Harrogate go to Gino d’Campo which is almost opposite Jamie’s. I was there recently for work, and tried it - the food and environment were fantastic and decent prices too. Another celebrity tie in granted, but this one works.

JO has never been in most of ‘his’ restaurants. Overpriced rubbish, hanging on the back of a celebrity. We prefer bella Italia which has a fantastic kids menu, and a really vast range of pasta, not just pizza. I went with a vegan friend recently and even she was impressed too at the choices she was able to have.

Next to go pop will be Prezzo. Expect many closures.

THe Service was so shit. And the one in Islington was weird - half the place would be empty but they’d say you had to book and come back in an hour as they were full. Inevitably you just went elsewhere

OriginalGeorgie - you didge a bullet as went there once and food was shit

Agreed! Went once to the one in Islington. Service mediocre at best and food was definitely not worth the money, particularly compared to what else is on offer within the area. Never had the inclination to go back.

It might not be there Cherry. Harrogate is on the list of sites due to close in an attempt to save the others.

The sites facing closure are Bath, Bristol, Bluewater, Chelmsford, Greenwich, Harrogate, Kingston, Milton Keynes, Piccadilly Diner, Reading, St Albans and Threadneedle Street. At least according to this

Cherry try Stuzzi near the Crowne Plaza hotel. Had a lovely meal in there - but book ahead because it is popular and gets busy.

Agree. Nothing to do with Brexit. He's a twat.

Hardly any veggie options... so I'll never go back

I went once and it was rubbish.
If I want Italian, I go to Franco Manca. It’s good value, delicious, the toddler loves it and it’s fast and well organised. Jamie’s didn’t tick any of those boxes.