A "large number" of Frankie & Benny's restaurants are unlikely to reopen once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

It has been reported that the owners of the dining chain, The Restaurant Group is set to tell staff today that many of ites sites are "no longer viable to trade."

The BBC claims it has seen an internal email which says a large number of venues will "remain closed."

Frankie & Benny's, which has restaurants in Teesside, County Durham and in Newcastle, already said it would close 90 of its restaurants later this year.

But it is likely, the majority of its remaining restaurants will close. 

According to the BBC, the email said: "The Covid-19 crisis has significantly impacted our ability to trade profitably, so we've taken the tough decision to close these restaurants now."

The BBC says TRG declined to comment on the report.

In March, TRG was forced to shut a majority of its Chiquito Mexican-style outlets as well as its Food & Fuel chain of pubs in London after falling into administration.

The company, which also owns Wagamama and Garfunkel's, is one of the largest restaurant operators in Britain.

It currently has around 22,000 staff on furlough.