Sports Café, the UK pub chain, will be sold as a going concern, despite the closure of two of its sites, according the company’s administrators.

The company appointed Bruce Mackay and Alan Lovett from Baker Tilly as administrators on 11 January, and its sites in Liverpool and Manchester have been closed.

The remainder of the Sports Café portfolio – including sites in Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle, Bristol and its famous London Haymarket bar – will be sold as a going concern.

“In common with much of the rest of the licensed trade sector, the company has experienced some extremely difficult trading conditions over recent weeks,” said Mackay.

“However, Sports Café is something of an institution and we are confident that we can generate significant interest in the business.”