Jamie Oliver calls in renovations at £6m Essex mansion as thousands lose jobs in restaurant empire collapse
JAMIE Oliver today called in renovation works for his £6m Essex mansion – despite his restaurant empire collapse.
Construction workers were spotted on the roof of the impressive Tudor property this morning, just one of Oliver’s two multi-million properties.
The 44-year-old, worth an estimated £100m, has not been seen since it was announced his restaurant chain had folded – leaving 1,000 employees without a job.
Yet as the newly unemployed workers grapple over their future, renovation works are currently still ongoing at Oliver’s 16th Century home in Essex, said to be a six-bedroom farmhouse with converted stables that sits on a sprawling 70-acre estate.
It had been reported the stables were going to be used for the dad-of-five to film cooking shows and even hold his own masterclasses.
A furniture van and roof van were seen at the property today, along with a worker maintaining the gardens.
It is unknown if the chef and his wife Jools have moved into the home yet – previously having shown off the inside of their plush £8.9million mansion at Hampstead Heath.
Their other home, a Grade II property, is complete with seven bedrooms and an open plan kitchen.
The couple enjoy their beautiful home with their kids — Poppy, 17, Daisy, 16, Petal, 10, Buddy Bear, eight, and River, two.
It comes as Oliver revealed how he was “deeply saddened” to see his empire of restaurants collapse.
Oliver had reportedly pumped £13million of his own money into the chain to try and save it but it was this week revealed the empire lost a whopping £29million in June one year in 2017.
Just three restaurants will now stay open in the short term after 22 were confirmed as closed – two Jamie’s Italian restaurants and Jamie Oliver’s Diner all based at Gatwick Airport.
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Staff this week were seen in tears outside restaurants after receiving the news – with official confirmation from a conference call.
In a statement, Oliver said he and staff had “put our hearts and souls into the business” and described the administration as a “difficult time for everyone”.
He said: “I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the staff and our suppliers who have put their hearts and souls into this business for over a decade. I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected.
“I would also like to thank all the customers who have enjoyed and supported us over the last decade, it’s been a real pleasure serving you.
Among the workers to be impacted by the restaurant closure is Hayley Grimson, who is expecting her first child in just three months.
The 26-year-old had worked at the Brighton restaurant – blasting Oliver for leaving hundreds of employees in the lurch.
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Oliver opened his first Jamie’s Italian in 2008 and saw rapid expansion across the UK in the early 2010s.
But last year, it was revealed that the Essex-born star’s firm owed staff £2.2m and was in £71.5million of debt.
Jamie’s Italian shut 12 of its 37 sites as part of a Company Voluntary Agreement and steakhouse chain Barbecoa went into a pre-pack administration.
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