Suburban Style Bars goes into administration

Bradford-headquartered Suburban Style Bars (SSB) is currently on the market after going into administration.

The business, formerly owned by Andy Longman, comprises 12 freehold sites and is being traded by recovery specialists Licensed Solutions until a buyer can be found.

According to Zolfo Cooper, the administrators, factors behind the collapse of the business included regulatory changes, the smoking ban and the decline in consumer spending driven by the credit crunch.

Six of SSB's eight staff have been made redundant.

Graham Wild, a partner at Zolfo Cooper, said he wanted to reassure customers that it is business as usual for the group's bars.

"We remain hopeful of securing the future of the business as the sites enjoy strong brand identities and play an important role in the local community," he added.

Zolfo Cooper also revealed it was acting as administrators for Classic Bar Holding, which operates 17 tenanted bars in the Yorkshire area.

The free-of-tie venues were "an attractive investment for any interested buyers", the firm said.