Northern burger group KerbEdge to cease trading after winding up order

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KerbEdge, the North East-based burger restaurant concept, has been ordered to wind up by the High Court, according to BigHospitality’s sister publication MCA.

The Adam Bryson-led concept, which opened four restaurants and two pub residencies, will cease trading with all sites to close.

Trading as KerbEdge, Voip Communications International Limited faced a winding up petition from Matthew Clarke Bibendum.

The concept, which opened its first standalone restaurant in November 2017, opened sites in Hull; Darlington; Sheffield West One; Sheffield Fox Valley; and had a fifth set to open in St Stephen’s shopping centre in Hull.

The Darlington restaurant closed within months of opening, with £70,000 invested into the site. It was reportedly losing £3,000 a week, blamed on a lack of footfall in the shopping scheme, and World Cup related violence leading local officials to cancel football screenings.

The expansion was backed by investor Matt Haycox, who told MCA he had put well in excess of £40,000 into the business, but was no longer involved, and had never seen a return on his investment.

Haycox previously owned the seven-strong Wildcats lap dance club group, which was placed into administration in 2008 owing creditors an estimated £3m, leading to him being banned by the Insolvency Service from being a director for 12 years in 2010.

Haycox told MCA: “The bottom line is I have never been actively involved in the business [KerbEdge] since day one. I was a silent investor in a business that unfortunately didn’t work out. Such is life, some you win some you lose.”

Bryson, who is also listed as a director of Haycox’s Harlie’s Diner in Leeds, was approached for comment by MCA but did not respond.

A liquidator has yet to be appointed.