The national chain has called in administrators amid the coronavirus outbreak, after the UK government ordered restaurants and bars to close.

It is understood that the majority of staff are being supported by the Government's staff retention scheme, which pays up to 80 per cent of employee's salaries if they are put on temporary leave. The restaurant chain employs around 2000 people nationwide.

Meanwhile, options for the future are being explored by administrators FRP.
Geoff Rowley, joint administrator and partner at FRP, said: "We are operating in unprecedented times and the issues currently facing the hospitality sector following the onset of Covid-19 are well documented.

"In the absence of being able to continue to trade Carluccio's, in the short term, we are urgently focused on the options available to preserve the future of the business and protect its employees.
"As this fast-moving situation progresses, we will remain in regular communication with all employees and key stakeholders, and will provide a further update in due course."

As reported, the Italian food business, which was founded by the late Antonio Carluccio in 1999, had previously announced it was struggling, with investors saying they would plough £10 million into the brand back in May 2018 in a bid to keep the company afloat.