A POPULAR burger chain has left fans devastated after announcing it will be closing all of its branches.
The Vurger Co, which is a fast-food vegan chain, announced it would be closing all stores imminently.
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The Vurger Co had three stores in Brighton, Manchester and Shoreditch.
The burger chain posted a heartbreaking message to its followers on Instagram and Facebook.
The post read: “To all our loyal customers and supporters it is with the most incredible sadness that we have to tell you that we have decided to close the door to the Vurger Co restaurants for the last time.”
“We’ve been building this community since 2016, and we still have people who have eaten our very first burger still following along today.”
Read more on store closures
Collectively the posts have racked up thousands of likes with hundreds of customers sending in heartfelt messages.
One Facebook user said: “We’re losing too many places.”
Another said: “Small independent local businesses closing left right and centre.”
“I’ll always cherish the great memories,” said an Instagram user.
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Someone else said: “So sad to read this, gonna miss your Shoreditch branch so much.”
The brand admitted: “On a personal level for us, it has been the most incredible emotional rollercoaster.”
The chain explained when it first came onto the scene in 2016, it had no competitors but also no fellow vegan chains to ask for advice.
The global pandemic sent the chain spiralling as it explained the booming business it had up until 2020, started to disappear.
The Vurger Co said throughout the pandemic it worked hard to put staff first but even after the lockdowns things didn’t get better.
The chain said soaring costs due to international and domestic inflationary factors sent sales plunging and then it was hit with “anti-vegan” misinformation.
The food brand stressed: “To say that the industry is in crisis doesn’t even come close right now.”
It also called on the Government to “wake up” and lower VAT and reform hospitality business rates.
What is happening to the hospitality industry?
Several restaurant chains and retailers have been struggling to get by over the past few years.
Energy costs have risen and more shoppers than ever are choosing to order online rather than head into stores.
This has left some brands grappling with budgets and having no choice but to close stores to cut costs.
Papa John’s has confirmed eight UK branches closed last month until new ownership could be found.
Taco Bell which hasn’t been on the scene long pulled down the shutters on a drive-thru restaurant in Aberdeen.
Italian dining chain Prezzo revealed plans to shut 46 restaurants in April 2023 due to soaring energy and food costs, putting 810 jobs at risk.
Even Wetherspoon has struggled to brace the storm with 40 pubs closing down last and as many as 20 preparing to shut this year.
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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
