Emily’s Formby to remain open despite collapse of restaurant group behind it

Customers of popular Formby restaurant Emily’s have been reassured that the Brows Lane venue will remain open and continue trading as normal, despite the company behind the restaurant entering administration.

Rebel Restaurants Group Ltd, which has been behind Emily’s in Formby as well as Penelope’s on the Park in Birkdale, entered administration on Monday 10 August following significant financial pressures on the business.

However, the administration does not mean Emily’s is closing.

The Formby restaurant is now operating under a new company, West Coast Dining Formby Ltd, which was established at the end of June.

The new company has confirmed that Emily’s will “continue as normal”, providing reassurance for customers who may have been concerned about the future of the popular Formby venue.

Emily’s has become a familiar part of Formby village since opening around four years ago on Brows Lane.

The restaurant has developed a strong following locally and further afield, but its former parent company says that popularity alone was not enough to overcome the increasingly difficult financial pressures facing hospitality businesses.

Rebel Restaurants Group said the substantial costs of opening and establishing a new hospitality business had put pressure on the company from an early stage.

Those difficulties were then compounded by rising day to day operating costs.

Among the pressures highlighted were higher wages, increasing utility bills, rising food costs and other business expenses, together with changes to employer National Insurance contributions and thresholds.

The company said these combined pressures continued to create significant cost challenges despite the growing popularity and success of Emily’s.

What about Penelope’s in Birkdale?

Rebel Restaurants Group is also associated with Penelope’s on the Park on Rotten Row in Birkdale, which opened in 2024 following the success of Emily’s.

Penelope’s was described when it launched as another venue from Rebel Restaurants Group and continues to describe the restaurant as part of the Rebel Restaurant family.

At present, Penelope’s also continues to advertise normal opening hours, menus and bookings, indicating that the Birkdale restaurant remains in operation.

However, while Emily’s has confirmed that it is continuing under West Coast Dining Formby Ltd, there has not yet been confirmation of whether a similar change of operating company has taken place at Penelope’s.

Emily’s remains open

For Formby customers, the important message is that Emily’s has not closed and is continuing to trade from its Brows Lane restaurant.

The situation also highlights the enormous pressures facing independent hospitality businesses.

A restaurant can appear busy, attract a loyal following and be successful with customers, while the company operating behind it can still struggle with the rapidly increasing costs of wages, food, energy, taxation and other overheads.

For now, it is business as usual at Emily’s in Formby, with the restaurant continuing under its new operating company.