Announcing the closure on Instagram, Leigh said the decision was a “direct result of Government policies”.
“We’ve survived all sorts - soaring utility bills, rising food costs and wafer-thin margins —-but your policies are a dagger to our heart. By lowering the National Insurance threshold, you didn’t go after those with the broadest shoulders, you went after young people, part-time workers and a sector already on its knees. You went for the easy target."
Leigh went on to call for a reduction in VAT for the hospitality sector, noting that countries including France, Germany and Ireland operate with rates of 10% or lower.
He added that such a move was “not an unreasonable request”, urging the Chancellor to support both the sector and youth employment while giving “the UK economy the boost it needs”.
The Chancellor’s Autumn 2024 Budget has been widely criticised within hospitality, with operators highlighting a ‘double hit’ of rising costs.
Increases to Employer National Insurance - effectively raising the cost of employment - alongside National Living Wage rises introduced in April have added significant pressure to already tight margins.
The closure will result in 14 job losses and reduces Thaikun - the more casual spin-off from Chaophraya - to nine locations. The group’s more premium Chaophraya brand operates from six sites.
Founded in Leeds in 2004 by Khun Kim Kaewkraikhot and Martin Stead, Thai Leisure Group is one of the UK’s largest Thai restaurant operators.