DLA Piper has picked up a role on Gourmet Burger Kitchen's (GBK) company voluntary agreement (CVA), as the struggling chain joins the ranks of restaurants undergoing a restructuring process.

The DLA Piper team is being led by global co-chair of restructuring Michael Fiddy and City restructuring partner Chris Parker.

GBK announced that it was closing 17 stores in the UK and warned that 250 jobs would be at risk.

In August, the company brought in restructuring advisers from Deloitte as sales at the chain steadily declined.

GBK is owned by South African food provider Famous Brands, which bought the company in 2016 from Capricorn Ventures, the owner of Nando's, for £120m. Pinsent Masons and Bircham Dyson Bell advised on that transaction.

Other companies owned by Famous Brands include fast food restaurant Wimpy and cafe company PAUL.

The CVA is the latest in a slew of restructurings in the retail and restaurant industries this year.

Elsewhere in the restaurant sector, Gaucho steakhouse fell into administration in July, with Hogan Lovells and Pinsent Masons taking key roles, and burger brand Byron agreed upon a CVA in February. Pinsent Masons again took a role on the Byron restructuring, alongside Herbert Smith Freehills and US firm Jones Day.

Other retailers to have announced CVAs in recent months include Homebase, on which Kirkland & Ellis is advising, Mothercare, on which Slaughter and May and Hogan Lovells took key roles, and New Look, which saw Paul Hastings and Sidley Austin advise.