Pizza Hut is closing 29 restaurants with 450 jobs at risk - here's why

The Italian-American restaurant company was founded in 1958 and came to the UK in 1973 (Photo: Shutterstock)The Italian-American restaurant company was founded in 1958 and came to the UK in 1973 (Photo: Shutterstock)
The Italian-American restaurant company was founded in 1958 and came to the UK in 1973 (Photo: Shutterstock)

Pizza Hut has announced it is closing 29 of its 244 UK restaurants.

The firm is currently in the process of a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) restructuring deal, due to experiencing “significant disruption” caused by the pandemic.

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A spokesperson for Pizza Hut told the Evening Standard that the company had made the decision as “sales are not expected to fully bounce back until well into 2021” despite the reopening of sites.

‘Aim to protect 5,000 jobs’

The company explained that the aim of the closures is to protect 5,000 jobs still active across remaining restaurants, and to ensure the survival of the business going forward.

A spokesperson for Pizza Hut Restaurants said, "We are committed to doing the right thing, and in order to secure as many jobs as possible and continue serving our communities, we are working to reach an agreement with our creditors.

"While we are likely to see 29 Hut closures and 450 job losses, any measures we take aim to protect about 5,000 jobs at our remaining 215 restaurants, as well as the longevity of the business.

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"We understand this is a difficult time for everyone involved.

“We appreciate the support of our business partners and are doing everything we can to help our team members during this process, including speaking with those affected by the consultation."

Which sites are expected to close?

The full list of sites facing closures are:

  • Basingstoke Retail Park
  • Brighton City Centre
  • Bury St Edmunds
  • Cambridge, Regent Street
  • Cardiff, Culverhouse Cross
  • Chelmsford, Moulsham Street
  • Croydon, North End
  • Cumbernauld
  • Dunstable
  • Glasgow, Great Western Retail Park
  • Grantham
  • Gravesend
  • Huddersfield, John William Street
  • Leicester, Haymarket
  • London, Leyton Mill
  • London, Stratford
  • Maidenhead
  • Maidstone
  • Newcastle-under-Lyme
  • Oxford
  • Plymouth Royal Parade
  • Salisbury
  • Scarborough
  • Sheffield, High Street
  • Sheffield, Penistone Road
  • Stafford
  • Thornton Cleveleys
  • Weston-Super-Mare
  • Worcester

Will the closures affect Pizza Hut delivery?

The company confirmed that the closures will not impact its operations or jobs at Pizza Hut Delivery or its related franchises.

Which other restaurants have closed sites and cut jobs?

The pandemic has caused a multitude of eateries to close some of their sites or shut down operations permanently, including Chituito, Frankie and Benny’s, Bella Italia and Las Iguanas.

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On Monday 7 September Pizza Express, confirmed a restructure which will see the closure of 73 restaurants - including its first ever site in Soho, London - and a loss of 1,100 jobs.

The news came after it finalised its own CVA deal with its creditors.

Managing director of Pizza Express Zoe Bowley, 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. In most cases, there is another Pizza Express nearby, either already open or reopening soon, to welcome our customers.”

This article originally appeared on The Sheffield Star

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