Jo’Burger restaurant group’s losses increase

Jo'Burger, the Dublin-based hipster restaurant group founded by Joe Macken in which Irish rugby international Jamie Heaslip has an interest, saw losses widen last year.

Newly filed accounts for Jo’Burger Limited show the firm recorded a €28,505 loss for the 12 months to the end of December to bring accumulated losses to €140,928 compared with €112,423 a year earlier.

The group, which was founded in 2007 in Rathmines, operates six restaurants in Dublin including Crackbird, Skinflint, Bear and three branches of Jo'Burger.

Jo’Burger went into examinership in September 2009 owing €350,000 before it successfully restructured its debt and bounced back.

The firm opened Crackbird, originally a pop-up restaurant in which bookings were taken via Twitter, on Crane Lane in early 2011. The venue is now home to pizza joint Skinflint, with Crackbird now permanently located nearby on Dame Street.

Mr Macken and Mr Heaslip opened Bear, which is on South William Street, in early 2012.

Employment costs rise

The latest accounts show for Jo’Burger show the firm employed 92 people at the end of last year. Employment costs rose to €2.4 million from €2.2 million over the 12 months with directors’ emoluments increasing to €638,471 from €419,136.

The company had cash at hand of €285,153 compared with €199,631 in the previous year.

Company director John Roberts said the group was keen to expand further with it possibly opening up another Jo’Burger before the end of the year.

“We’ve grown 700 per cent since 2012 and last year was particularly strong for us, especially in the first half. So far, 2016 has been steady, which will do us fine,” he said.

“Our last restaurant opening was in 2014, so we’re keen to get back back in the saddle and start expanding again and taking on more staff, “ he added.

He said that while commercial rents had risen it was unlikely to be the decider as to where the company might open up next.

“Rents in the best locations are always high. Good properties demand good rents and that’s the case regardless of what state the economy is in,” said Mr Roberts.