BUILDERS were spotted working on Jamie Oliver's new multi-million-pound country pad today just three weeks after his restaurant empire collapsed with the loss of 1,000 jobs.

Renovations are continuing on the Grade 1 listed Spains Hall near Braintree, Essex, despite the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group going into administration.

The 44-year-old, worth an estimated £100m, has not been seen since it was announced his restaurant chain had folded.

The Elizabethan country house, which dates back to 1570, has been snapped covered in scaffolding as builders were seen working on the roof this afternoon.

A large number of vans were spotted in the grounds of the property and a full skip was seen near the house as it is refurbished ahead of the Oliver clan moving in.

A gardener was also seen working on the 70 acre estate and the grass and hedges appeared freshly mowed and trimmed.

Jamie Oliver bought the mansion at the start of the year and recently applied for planning permission to restore many of its original features.

Plans lodged with Braintree District Council show the best-selling author is also hoping to renovate the library and remodel the kitchen, which boasts an original bread oven.

It had been reported the stables were going to be used for the dad-of-five to film cooking shows and even hold his own masterclasses.

The house had only been used by three families and hadn't been sold for 250 years when Jamie bought it.

Part of the house was being used as a popular wedding venue until recently and now the chef is converting it back into a family home.

The manor house boasts 12 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a large games room, great hall, dining room, two drawing rooms and a wine storage area.

A THOUSAND JOBS LOST

Original features include a well on the ground floor, a priest hole on the first floor and a two-storey red-brick Tudor gazebo in the gardens, which is named The Prayer house.

The property also comes with an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts and fishing lakes.

It is unknown if the chef and his wife Jools have moved into the home yet – previously having shown off the inside of their plush £8.9million mansion at Hampstead Heath.

All but three of Jamie's 25 UK restaurants have now closed, with the loss of 1,000 jobs.

Oliver had reportedly pumped £13million of his own money into the chain to try and save it but it was this week revealed it lost a whopping £29million in just one year in 2017.

Just three restaurants will now stay open in the short term after 22 were confirmed as closed – two Jamie's Italian restaurants and Jamie Oliver's Diner all based at Gatwick Airport.

Up to 60 staff from, Jamie's Italian in Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland now plan to sue after they claim they were refused redundancy pay.

They want to get back £100,000 in lost wages.

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