Inside abandoned TGI Fridays in Birmingham as urban explorer makes strange discovery

An urban explorer has shared eerie images from inside an abandoned TGI Fridays in Birmingham, where he found something he "couldn't believe". Jack, not his real name, had a look around the former Hagley Road restaurant after it closed permanently in October.

It was the first TGI branch to open in the UK almost 40 years ago. But the popular diner closed for good, along with dozens of others around the UK, after the chain fell into administration in September.

More than 1,000 workers were made redundant despite a late rescue deal from the owners of restaurant group D&D London. The firm bought the UK operator of the American-themed chain in a deal that saved 2,400 jobs and further prevented TGI restaurants from closing.

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Jack, who was inside the Hagley Road branch recently, said he was shocked at what he stumbled across. He told BirminghamLive: "I couldn't believe there was still chocolate cake left - and it wasn't even mouldy."

He said there was also still alcohol inside the frozen-in-time restaurant. Jack said exploring the closed venue was "super weird" as he had ate at the chain as recently as "last year".

"Everything was still in there apart from the Harley-Davidson bike that was on the plinth at the front," he added.

Spooky images from inside the former diner give the impression that the restaurant closed suddenly. Music records and decorations still hang from its wooden walls - including a memorable fake shark biting into a surfboard. Chocolate cake, which was never served to customers.

After the firm entered administration, TGI chief executive Julie McEwan said: “We are devastated for our colleagues who will be leaving TGIs and thank them for their loyalty and contribution during their time with us. We are doing everything possible to retain our team and support those impacted."