Owners of plush Edinburgh steakhouse in grand Art Deco banking hall put business up for sale for £100m

Hawksmoor, which was founded in 2006 by Will Beckett and Huw Gott, has 10 locations in the UK, including a stunning eatery situated within a grand Art Deco banking hall on the Capital's St Andrew Square. Last week, the company opened its first restaurant in Chicago, and it also has sites in Dublin and New York.

Now, according to a report, the restaurant chain has hired the investment bank Stephens to start looking for potential suitors for the business, which is hoping to spread its wings overseas.

The Financial Times says Beckett, who is the current chief executive, and Gott, who owns a minority stake, will retain their stake in Hawksmoor after any deal is concluded. It adds that Graphite Capital has owned a 51% stake in the company since 2013.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Beckett said: “We've got a great relationship with Graphite, and together we are getting to know the US investment community in more depth. As that continues, an opportunity may emerge that we wish to explore together.”