Jobs go as Pizza Express to close
HALIFAX’S PIZZA Express is one of 73 across the UK that is to close, the company has announced.
Around 1,100 jobs are at risk as the national chain is to shut 73 of its restaurants in a bid to stay afloat in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown.
The Halifax branch is based at the Broad Street Plaza in the town centre.
Pizza Express, which currently has around 454 restaurants in the UK, said on Tuesday it has finalised a proposal to reduce its restaurant and rental costs via a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).
Zoe Bowley, Pizza Express’s managing director for the UK and Ireland, said: “Unfortunately, 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.
“We have confirmed that 73 of our pizzerias are proposed to close permanently.”
Ms Bowley said that in most cases, the stores selected for closure are near to another Pizza Express that has already reopened or will be reopening soon.
The company added that although the majority of its restaurants were profitable before lockdown was imposed, earnings had been declining across the Pizza Express estate for the last three years.
It added that the reduction in revenue caused by the enforced closure of all restaurants, the cost of reopening and the UK’s uncertain economic future meant its rental costs were no longer sustainable.
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