A FAMILY favourite pizza place has confirmed 50 of its UK branches will slam shut for the final time.
Fast food junkies have vented their sadness at the closures – and some have even called on the firm to not close any others.
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US-based company Papa John’s has more than 450 branches across the nation but that number will now shrink in a “comprehensive review” of its UK operations.
Fans of the pizza-joint have leapt online to share their dismay at the news, and one pleaded for the company not to close one in her local area.
One user said: “Wow, shocking, I’ve not had one in ages but I like Papa John’s.”
While a second user said: “Not Woodhall please, I like their pizza.”
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The news comes after it confirmed “up to” 100 stores could close.
That’s despite making 10 per cent more in profits from the previous year
A spokeswoman for the group, said: “As our second largest global market, Papa Johns remains committed to driving growth in the UK.
“As mentioned in January, we are undertaking a comprehensive review of our UK-based restaurants to assess viability.”
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Its spokeswoman went on to say that based on a “current analysis” the company found 50 of their stores to be “underperforming”.
The “strategic” closure of the failing branches would give the company the opportunity to invest in the branches that were doing well – which will “optimise” the growth of the brand long term, it added.
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“For any proposed restaurant closures that impact team members, we will work to find alternative roles within Papa Johns.”
Papa Johns is the UK’s second-largest pizza takeaway brand, and has 118 branches that it owns and runs, as well as 406 franchises.
Domino’s, the chain’s biggest rival, operates at 1,253 locations. Meanwhile, Pizza Hut has 150.
Papa Johns’ first British restaurant opened in 1999 in Grays in Essex after the brand went international.
But by 2013, it celebrated the opening of its 200th UK store.
The pizza chain closed 22 restaurants in 2023 but opened new branches in 15 locations.
The closures come as hospitality bosses say that they are facing the worse start to the year ever with a string of high profile closures.
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And it’s not just hospitality companies that are feeling the heat, The body shop will close almost half of its 198 stores after falling into administration.
As well as that, devastated shoppers sobbed at the news that a popular discount chain with more than 500 stores is closing for good.
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