A LARGE restaurant in York city centre is set to close.

The Individual Restaurants Company has announced it is to close four restaurants within its 28 strong restaurant estate across the country.

The company, which owns the Bar and Grill brand, also runs a number of Piccolino restaurants including the one in Bridge Street in York, which is set to shut. The last day of trading will be September 5.

The closures across all four sites see 140 jobs going at York and Piccolino, Clitheroe, The Restaurant Bar & Grill, Manchester and The Alderley Bar & Grill, Cheshire,

The business is entering a period of consultation with staff affected. 

Karen Forrester, Executive Chairperson of Individual Restaurants Company, said: “The closure of these sites is part of a long-term investment and development plan for the future of Individual Restaurants.  Our main priority is to keep our people within our Individual Restaurants family by offering opportunities to relocate to other Individual Restaurants’ locations, we will be supporting them throughout this process.”

When the York Italian first opened back in 2008 is created 45 new jobs for the city with a £1.5 million investment revamping of the former Veranda Café beside the river Ouse close to Ouse Bridge.

The New York brasserie-style restaurant can seat 150 people in the main area and a further 18 in a private dining room.