SEVERAL KFC restaurants in Dorset - including one in Weymouth - have been sold to a London-based firm after their previous owners went into administration, owing more than £38m. 

Franchises in Jubilee Close in Weymouth, the Dolphin Centre, Winton High Street, Ashley Road in Parkstone, Lyndhurst Road in Christchurch, The Triangle in Bournemouth town centre and Wessex Gate have all been sold to Wembley-based The Adil Group. 

They were all owned by Caskade, another London-based firm with franchises across the UK that went into administration in June. 

Joint administrators Gary Shankland and Robert Ferne of Begbies Traynor LLP have been appointed to fix the finances of Caskade. 

KFC in Westover Road was a victim of administration KFC in Westover Road fell into administration (Image: Daily Echo)

KFCs in Christchurch Road in Boscombe, Barrack Road in Christchurch, Westover Road in Bournemouth, Station Road in New Milton and St Mary Street in Weymouth were all closed by the administrators. 

Caskade was also the applicant behind the Lansdowne Crescent restaurant that was planned to be opened. 

Meanwhile, in the administrator's documents on Companies House, several Dorset businesses have come up as owing money by Caskade’s three companies. 

Ace Plumbing and Heating, of Boscombe, is owed £4,947, Birks Electrical Contractors of Wimborne is owed £7,244 and Bournemouth-based property management firm Ellis and Partners is owed £11,804. 

Bournemouth solicitors Steele Raymond is owed £3,775 and Poole-based Strato Homes is owed £18,750 – in all, Dorset businesses are owed more than £60,000. 

A spokesman for KFC UK and Ireland said: “We’re constantly reviewing our portfolio of over 1,000 restaurants and from time-to-time we have to close restaurants. 

"A handful of restaurants across Dorset and Hampshire have recently been closed.” 

KFC in Lansdowne is very unlikely to go aheadKFC in Lansdowne is very unlikely to go ahead (Image: Daily Echo)

Administrators Begbies Traynor LLP said in its report that that 40 branches were sold to The Adil Group for £17.55m, including £100,000 for the leasehold interest for the restaurant in Tower Park. 

It added in June when Caskade’s accounts were looked into, circa-£11.5m was owed to KFC by the group, which arrears of £3m unpaid tax to HMRC. 

Bosses at Caskade took a number of measures to reduce spending including job cuts at the head office and changing cleaning contractor companies to save £100,00 a year. 

The report said: “Throughout 2023 and into Q1 2024, the companies’ management had been pursuing a sale of the group's shares and discussions in this regard had resulted in a non-binding offer being received from an unrelated third party. 

“However, it is understood that this offer was revised materially downwards due to concerns over the underlying financial performance of the group and wider concerns regarding due diligence. 

“Ultimately, these negotiations did not progress to a satisfactory conclusion and the third party withdrew their interest.”