The police force was previously appealing for the public’s help to find Karl Barratt, 39, from Oxford.

The appeal, which was launched on Wednesday, May 13, was in connection with a recall to prison.  

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Barratt was described by police as a white man of slim build with short, fair blond hair.

Police said he was known to frequent Redbridge Hollow, Abingdon Road, Kennington and Warwickshire.

At the time of the appeal, investigating officer, PC Jon Kelly of the Integrated Offender Management Department, said “We are appealing for the public’s help in tracing Karl Barratt.

“Barratt is currently wanted on recall to prison and we are very keen to identify his whereabouts to prevent further offending and safeguard the local community.”

Leon, founded in London in 2004, built its reputation on a menu of “naturally fast food”, offering salads, wraps, hot boxes and breakfast dishes marketed as a fresher, healthier alternative to traditional fast food.

The chain expanded rapidly in city centres, railway stations and transport hubs, but has struggled in recent years with rising costs and changing trading conditions.

Leon has now revealed that 23 company‑owned restaurants have ceased trading during a major restructuring process, while its franchised outlets are understood to be unaffected.

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The company formerly had an Oxford branch on Cornmarket Street which opened in 2018, but this closed two years ago.

Leon went into administration in December after coming under mounting financial pressure, with insolvency specialists from BTG Advisory and Quantuma brought in to examine options for the business.

Co‑founder John Vincent has since injected £2.5 million of his own money into the company as part of a rescue package that is expected to allow Leon to exit administration.

Following the shake‑up, the group will continue to trade with 43 sites across the country, made up of 20 company‑run restaurants and 23 franchised locations.

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A proposed Company Voluntary Arrangement, which sets out how Leon plans to deal with its creditors, is due to go before a vote on May 27.

Mr Vincent originally sold Leon to supermarket giant Asda in 2021 but bought the business back in October 2025 as financial problems deepened.

He said management had been concentrating on rebuilding the brand since the buy‑back and acknowledged that widespread closures were inevitable if the chain was to survive.

Staff who were unable to move to other Leon branches were offered the chance to apply for positions at Pret A Manger, although the business has not disclosed how many jobs have been lost.

Leon has also brought back several senior figures from its earlier growth phase to help steer the turnaround, including Mr Chris Burford as chief financial officer and Nick Scovell as operations director.

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The company plans to revamp its menu over the coming year, promising refreshed versions of existing dishes and the return of popular favourites in a bid to strengthen its position in the crowded fast‑food market.

Mr Vincent admitted the restructuring process had been bruising but argued it was essential to safeguard Leon’s future.

He said the chain can now move out of administration and continue “its rejuvenation as a smaller but more sustainable company”.

“There is a lot of affection for Leon, and I am committed to working on behalf of our guests, teams and suppliers to make the company what people want it to be,” he said.

Oxford’s British Orchard Nursery, in Old London Road in Wheatley, was inspected by Ofsted and was found to ‘need attention’.

Inspectors raised concern about children’s achievement stating in the report that ‘the youngest children often have dummies in their mouths when they are happy and content, which limits opportunities for them to develop clear speech’.

Concerns about children’s welfare and wellbeing were also brought up stating that ‘potential hazards go unnoticed, such as heavy doors that may lead to children trapping their fingers’.

The inspection also revealed that “leaders have yet to implement a sufficiently ambitious curriculum and they do not consistently recognise or minimise possible hazards”.

Despite this, the inspection recognised that staff support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and they provide a welcoming and supportive environment.

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Oxford’s British Orchard Nursery, on Old London Road, in Wheatley (Image: Google Maps)

In 2024 the nursery received complaints about childcare provision.

Ofsted received a notification in June from the provider where a child was exposed to hazards.

The nursery also notified Ofsted of an allegation made against a member of staff.

Following regulatory visits and telephone regulatory calls from Ofsted the provider was found to not be meeting some of the requirements needed.

The nursery was asked to ensure all staff had a DBS check, some staff knew paediatric CPR, and implement better checks on all staff hired to work there.

The nursery was rated ‘requires improvement’ after its first inspection in 2019.

However inspectors in 2020 and 2023 rated the nursery as ‘good’.

• An earlier version of this article stated that Ofsted found the nursery ‘requires improvement’. This was not the exact wording used by Ofsted and we have updated the article as a result.