Cinven-owned restaurant group Gondola Holdings has met with banks to discuss financing options to back a sale of the Ask Italian and Zizzi chains, following its sale of PizzaExpress in July.

Gondola held talks with bankers on Thursday to discuss "staple" financing packages ahead of the launch of the sale of all its remaining restaurants, comprising the Ask and Zizzi brands, in the next few weeks, according to people familiar with the matter.