Chiktopia relaunches after liquidation

Chiktopia-relaunches-with-dark-kitchen-after-liquidation.jpg

'Better chicken’ restaurant concept Chiktopia has relaunched as a dark kitchen, after the original business went into liquidation earlier this year.

As reported by BigHospitality's sister site MCA, the kitchen has been established in Wandsworth and has a delivery radius that includes Putney, Earlsfield, Wimbledon and Clapham via Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

The group's sole site in the food court of Intu Lakeside is also due to reopen towards the end of August.

Founded in May 2019, Chiktopia was originally led by former Ole & Steen UK operation director Alastair Gordon, and advised by a group of senior industry figures including Dan Einzig, founder of Mystery Design; Mark Lilley, CEO of Abokado; and Richard Morris, managing director of Tortilla.

The previous business entered liquidation back in June with total liabilities of £1.13m, owing creditors £325,957, of which £125,864 was owed to landlord Intu.

At the time, Chiktopia said the financial strain of a prolonged shutdown 'simply became too great', with Steven Ross and Matthew Higgins of RSM appointed as liquidators.

RSM estimated £10,500 in assets would be available for preferential creditors, in a statement of affairs published in June.

Under the relaunch, Chiktopia is part of a new business, Red Shed, which Lilley is the sole director of.

Chiktopia serves a fast food menu of South American-style chicken that's available either deep-fried or grilled.

Options include a range of burgers, wraps, salads and tenders, the latter of which is served with Louisiana-style American biscuits.

Prior to the original launch of its Intu Lakeside site, the restaurant said it was 'on a mission to marry outstanding taste with the latest technology'.

The tech-forward concept was designed as a ‘counter-less restaurant environment’, with all orders taken via an app or at a kiosk.

A version of this article originally appeared on BigHospitality's sister site MCA. To subscribe to MCA, click here