Pizza Express announces permanent closure of 73 restaurants across the UK

Shutting of restaurants could result in the loss of 1,100 jobs

(Getty Images)

Pizza Express has announced that 73 of its restaurants across the UK are to be closed permanently.

The closure of the restaurants, which has come about as a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown, could result in the loss of approximately 1,100 jobs.

On Tuesday 18 August, Pizza Express, which currently has around 454 restaurants in the UK, said it had launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) to finalise a proposal on reducing restaurant and rental costs.

The firm stated that earnings across the Pizza Express estate have been declining over the past three years, although the majority of its restaurants were profitable before lockdown was established in March.

However, several factors have meant that its rental costs are no longer feasible, including the shutting of restaurants during lockdown, the cost of reopening as lockdown was eased and the uncertainty of the economy in the UK in the near future, the company said.

Zoe Bowley, managing director for Pizza Express in the UK and Ireland, stated that the “impact of the global pandemic has meant that we have had to make some incredibly tough decisions to safeguard Pizza Express for the long term”.

“Today we have confirmed that 73 of our pizzerias are proposed to close permanently,” she said.

Ms Bowley said that the majority of Pizza Express restaurants that are set to close are located close by another branch, which has either already reopened or will do soon.

“Our focus is on our people whose jobs are impacted and we will be doing everything we can either to redeploy them or to support them in finding roles elsewhere,” she said.

“Hard as this process is, it will protect the jobs of over 9,000 of our colleagues and provide a strong footing for Pizza Express to meet future challenges and opportunities.”

Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation, commented on the closure of the Pizza Express restaurants.

“These situations are never easy, particularly now for the retail, hospitality and leisure businesses on our high streets at the sharp end of the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.

“Property owners, however, need to take into consideration the impact on their investors, including the millions of people whose savings and pensions are invested in commercial property, as they vote on any CVA proposal.”

Here are the 73 Pizza Express restaurants that are scheduled to close their doors:

1. Aberdeen, Belmont St
2. Aylesbury
3. Barnstaple, Three Tuns
4. Biggleswade
5. Billericay
6. Birmingham, Corporation St
7. Birmingham, Mailbox
8. Bournemouth, Post Office Rd
9. Bramhall
10. Bristol, Berkeley Sq
11. Bristol, Regent St
12. Bromsgrove
13. Bruton Place
14. Charlotte St
15. Chippenham
16. Dalton Park
17. Darlington
18. Dudley, Merry Hill
19. Earls Court, Earls Ct Rd
20. Edinburgh, Holyrood
21. Formby
22. Fulham Palace Road
23. Glasgow, Princes Square
24. Glossop
25. Gosforth
26. Grantham
27. Halifax
28. Hampstead
29. Hatch End
30. Hereford
31. Heswall
32. Ipswich, Lloyds Ave
33. Leeds, Crown St
34. Leeds, Horsforth
35. Ludlow
36. Lymington
37. Melton Mowbray
38. Midhurst
39. Milton Keynes, Hub
40. Moseley
41. New Brighton
42. Newcastle
43. Newport, Isle of Wight
44. Newport, South Wales
45. Northallerton
46. Nottingham, Goosegate
47. O2 Finchley
48. Orpington
49. Oxford, Oxford Castle
50. Poole
51. Port Solent
52. Ramsgate
53. Reading, St Mary’s Butts
54. Scarborough
55. Sheffield, Devonshire St
56. Sheffield The Moor
57. Shirley
58. Southport, Old Bank
59. Stafford
60. Staines
61. Stoke
62. Stourbridge
63. Sudbury
64. Torquay
65. Uxbridge
66. Wakefield
67. Walsall
68. Wapping
69. Wardour St
70. Weston-super-Mare
71. Whiteley Village
72. Whitstable
73. Wrexham

Pizza Express said it has hired advisers from financial advisory and asset management firm Lazard, who will be in charge of the sale process for the company.

The restaurant will also hold a virtual meeting on 4 September with its creditors to seek approval for further measures outlined in the CVA.