Mon 20th Oct 2025 - Pizza Hut UK Restaurants enters administration less than a year after rescue deal Pizza Hut UK Restaurants enters administration less than a year after rescue deal: Pizza Hut UK Restaurants has entered administration less than a year after a rescue deal. DC London Pie, the company formed to run Pizza Hut UK after a pre-pack deal, has appointed FTI as administrators. The applicant behind the filing of the notice is Yum! III (UK), a subsidiary of American food outlet operator Yum! Brands, which holds a charge over the business. Directional Capital, which operated franchises in Sweden and Denmark, bought the 139 restaurants in a pre-pack deal last year that saved 3,000 jobs. Pizza Hut UK’s previous owner Heart with Smart collapsed owing almost £40m to investor Pricoa Capital, which had backed a management buyout. Directional Pizza, part of US-based private equity firm Directional Capital, owns and operates 240-plus Pizza Huts across the UK, Sweden and Denmark. In January, it acquired the operations of Heart With Smart, which manages the operations of the UK Pizza Hut dine-in restaurant business, via a pre-pack deal that saw the transfer and continuing operation of 139 restaurants across the UK. Propel later revealed that Directional Capital paid £10m to acquire Heart With Smart, and that Heart With Smart owed more than £50m as it collapsed before being rescued. Directional Capital also acquired franchisee Nine Group’s portfolio of 38 Pizza Hut Delivery sites in December 2024. In August, Directional Pizza hired Gino Casciani as its new chief executive for its European operations. Casciani joined with a proven track record of operational and commercial leadership across international markets. His career includes senior roles at Pret A Manger, KFC, Taco Bell and Odeon Cinemas Group, and most recently, as global chief operating officer of Sushi Daily at KellyDeli Group, where he oversaw 1,500-plus sushi concession sites across Europe, Mexico and the Middle East. Casciani also brings significant experience from within the Yum! ecosystem, having served as vice-president of international operations and managing director for its Taco Bell and KFC businesses across the UK and Europe. At the time, Directional Pizza said Casciani would be responsible for “leading brand modernisation and accelerating growth across the UK and Europe”. Directional Pizza features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database while Pizza Hut features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database. Both databases are available exclusively to Premium Club subscribers. The latest UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database was sent last week, featuring ten new additions and updates to existing entries, taking the total to 270. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up. Propel’s inaugural Franchisor Showcase, which will put the spotlight on ten up-and-coming food and beverage franchisors, takes place on Tuesday, 25 November at One Moorgate Place in London. This is a unique chance to explore exciting franchise opportunities. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Free places for operators and investors only are available by emailing kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com