Gourmet burger chain commits to Stratford-upon-Avon

UPMARKET burger chain Byron will still open in Stratford-upon-Avon later this year despite reported financial problems forcing it to consider closing sites elsewhere in the country.

The restaurant is set to be in the £30million Bell Court, and was one of the first new tenants announced almost two years ago.

But the company's accounts, published in March, show profits fell in 2016 to £2.3million from £6.9million in 2015.

They also showed a slow down in sales growth due to 'increasing intensity of competition', although the company pointed to 13 new restaurant openings throughout 2016 which it said 'reflected the strong underlying performance'.

The Sunday Times reported that Byron was considering closing some restaurants and quotes sources as saying the company was set for a financial restructure after having seen rival chain the Handmade Burger Co go into administration.

A spokesperson for Byron told the Herald: "Byron is planning to go ahead and design work is underway on all the sites we have exchanged on."

Also set to move into Bell Court are Italian wine café Veeno, Miller and Carter Steakhouse, Nandos and All Bar One, and ASK.

Everyman cinema opened last month.