TGI Fridays in High Wycombe is bucking the trend of nationwide closures and thriving thanks to its loyal team and local support, its deputy manager has said.

TGI Fridays on Crest Road is one of just 33 remaining UK branches after the latest round of cuts saw 16 sites shut and hundreds of jobs lost.

Duty manager Katie said: "We've been a lot busier since our nearest branches closed. I think part of the reason we've done so well and have managed to continue to stay open is due to the amazing team we have here.

"It's a very family-friendly restaurant with a supportive team. That's what's kept us open really."

The 22-year-old, who is from High Wycombe and now lives in Gerrards Cross, said: "We've got some really exciting changes coming. We launched a new menu in November with some meal deals to try and make sure there are affordable options for people who want to eat out when times are a little tougher."

Her message to the community is to come and make the most of one of the final TGI restaurants in the country. "We are very lucky to still be here, use us or lose us."
Now the branch is staying open she said the brand will be looking to start investing in the Wycombe restaurant with make-overs planned for the future.

The Wycombe branch has around 40 team members, many of whom have worked for the eatery for years. Katie herself started as a waitress four years ago and has worked her way up to deputy manager.​

TGI Fridays is an American casual dining chain founded in New York in 1965, known for its burgers, ribs and cocktails and for helping to popularise the themed, family-friendly restaurant model around the world.

The brand expanded rapidly in Britain from the 1980s and once operated close to 90 UK sites, but has been hit hard by rising costs, changing customer habits and a series of restructurings, leaving a much smaller estate that owners now say they want to stabilise and invest in.

Some 16 UK restaurants were closed in January with 456 people made redundant.

A rescue deal was struck with its remaining 33 sites – including High Wycombe – staying open, saving 1,384 roles.

The chain is one of several big-name casual dining brands hit by rising costs, changing customer habits and tax pressures, as operators from Leon to Pizza Hut warn that many high-street restaurants are struggling to survive.