Living Ventures has placed its Blackhouse restaurants into administration - affecting three popular steak restaurants across Scotland and England. The Blackhouse brand has popular steak restaurants in Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester and its sister company Newgate, which operates Italian restaurant Olive in Liverpool, has also been placed into administration. The future of the four restaurants is now uncertain. Administrators Duff & Phelps were appointed to lead the process. Scott Grimbleby, managing director of the businesses, said: “We have explored every avenue possible to try to save the business, however we have been left with no choice but to take this incredibly difficult decision now. “We are working with all our teams to try and support them as best we can through this time. The administrators will be seeking to find a buyer for the businesses.” If a buyer can be found the restaurant could continue to trade. According to the Caterer, the Blackhouse steakhouse brand recorded post-tax losses of £1.3 million in the year to 30 March 2018, followed by a CVA which saw the closure of four sites. Later that year its Manchester restaurants Artisan and Manchester House were both placed into administration following a "period of difficult trading". Last year, Glasgow's Grill on the Corner underwent a refresh with its interiors and menu getting revamped to celebrate 12 years in the city. The new menu made a return to Blackhouse’s roots, and steak and seafood led the way with the introduction of Scotch Beef to the dishes. A version of this article first appeared on The Scotsman.