CHIPPENHAM Pizza Express is on the list of branches to be permanently closed as part of a major restructuring plan.
The restaurant in the Market Place is one of 73 to close across the country putting a total of 1,100 jobs at risk.
The chain has formally launched a proposal to reduce its restaurant estate and rental cost base through a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).
UK & Ireland managing director Zoe Bowley said the impact of the coronavirus pandemic had led to some “incredibly tough decisions to safeguard Pizza Express for the long term”.
She added: “Today 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."
"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.
“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.”
The following restaurants, including Chippenham, have been earmarked for closure:
Aberdeen, Belmont St
Aylesbury
Barnstaple, Three Tuns
Biggleswade
Billericay
Birmingham, Corporation St
Birmingham, Mailbox
Bournemouth, Post Office Rd
Bramhall
Bristol, Berkeley Sq
Bristol, Regent St
Bromsgrove
Bruton Place
Charlotte St
Chippenham
Dalton Park
Darlington
Dudley, Merry Hill
Earls Court, Earls Ct Rd
Edinburgh, Holyrood
Formby
Fulham Palace Road
Glasgow, Princes Square
Glossop
Gosforth
Grantham
Halifax
Hampstead
Hatch End
Hereford
Heswall
Ipswich, Lloyds Ave
Leeds, Crown St
Leeds, Horsforth
Ludlow
Lymington
Melton Mowbray
Midhurst
Milton Keynes, Hub
Moseley
New Brighton
Newcastle
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport, South Wales
Northallerton
Nottingham, Goosegate
O2 Finchley
Orpington
Oxford, Oxford Castle
Poole
Port Solent
Ramsgate
Reading, St Mary’s Butts
Scarborough
Sheffield, Devonshire St
Sheffield The Moor
Shirley
Southport, Old Bank
Stafford
Staines
Stoke
Stourbridge
Sudbury
Torquay
Uxbridge
Wakefield
Walsall
Wapping
Wardour St
Weston-super-Mare
Whiteley Village
Whitstable
Wrexham
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