PAPA Johns is shutting down many of its stores over the forthcoming months – is yours affected?
The popular pizza chain is the UK’s second-largest pizza takeaway brand.
1
Papa Johns currently operates 524 locations in the UK, which are a mixture of owned stores and franchises.
The chain’s first British restaurant opened in 1999 in Gray’s in Essex and since then the brand has gone international.
In 2013 the popular pizza chain celebrated the opening of its 200th UK store.
Its biggest rival is Dominoes which operates at 1,253 locations.
Read more on Money
In 2023 Papa Johns closed 22 restaurants, but opened up new branches in 154 locations.
Why is Papa Johns shutting down stores?
The pizza chain announced in January that as many as 100 store locations could be facing the chop.
Bosses told investors at the time it anticipates “additional strategic restaurant closures of low-performing restaurants” in a bid to boost profits.
A spokesperson for the pizza giant told The Sun: “As our second largest global market, the UK is critical to Papa John’s long-term success.
Most read in Money
“As we work to fully optimize our restaurant operations and improve profitability across the market, we will continue evaluating the growth potential of our restaurants.
From Campbell’s soup to Caramac and Lilt – the iconic foods disappearing from supermarket shelves
“This includes working collaboratively with our franchisees to strategically close low-performing locations when necessary, as well as continuing to invest in the right locations for the benefit of our customers.”
It confirmed on Tuesday, March 26, that following a consultation process, 43 restaurants will cease trading in mid-May.
The company has not confirmed how many staff will be impacted by the decision.
Which Papa Johns stores are shutting down?
Papa Johns is closing 43 restaurants across the UK in May and the full list of locations is as follows:
- Barnsley, South Yorkshire
- Bebington, Merseyside
- Bexhill, East Sussex
- Billericay, Essex
- Bromley, Greater London
- Coulsdon, Greater London
- Cricklewood, Greater London
- Darlington, County Durham
- Doncaster, South Yorkshire
- Durham, County Durham
- East Dulwich, Greater London
- East Grinstead, West Sussex
- Eastbourne, East Sussex
- Hailsham, East Sussex
- Harringay, Greater London
- Harrogate, North Yorkshire
- Hendon, Greater London
- Horsham, West Sussex
- Lancaster, Lancashire
- Leeds Meanwood, West Yorkshire
- Liverpool West Derby Road, Merseyside
- Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
- Mottingham, Greater London
- Northwood Hills, Greater London
- Peacehaven, East Sussex
- Peckham, Greater London
- Penge, Greater London
- Putney, Greater London
- Redhill, Surrey
- Rochdale, Greater Manchester
- Rotherham, South Yorkshire
- Ruislip, Greater London
- Runcorn, Cheshire
- Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire
- Sittingbourne, Kent
- Southport, Merseyside
- St Helens, Merseyside
- Stoke Newington, Greater London
- Tunbridge Wells, Kent
- Upminster, Greater London
- Watford St Albans Road, Hertfordshire
- Whitton, Greater London
- Wimbledon, Greater London
Other restaurant chains that have shut down
The cost of living is impacting many businesses and restaurants right now.
In January 2023, Byron Burger fell into administration, with owners saying it would result in the loss of over 200 jobs.
Italian dining chain Prezzo revealed plans to shut 46 restaurants back in April due to soaring energy and food costs, putting 810 jobs at risk.
In January 2024 many restaurants just did not reopen after Christmas.
Marco Pierre White’s restaurant Mr White’s Steak, Pizza and Gin House, located in London’s iconic West End, closed indefinitely.
Meanwhile, Marco Pierre White‘s Steakhouse Bar & Grill in Cardiff also permanently shut.
Ex-masterchef finalist Tony Rodd was also forced to close his restaurant Copper & Ink earlier this month after he reportedly received a “terrifying” £80,000 energy bill.
Also, other chains have been forced to put expansion plans on hold.
Hostmore, the owner of restaurant chain TGI Fridays and 63rd+1st has said that it will no longer open any new restaurants until at least 2025, after confirming a drop in earnings.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
It is not just the hospitality industry, high street retailers have been shutting at an alarming rate.
We have the full list below of retailers set to close in 2024.
Retailers closing stores in 2024
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
Here’s a list of all the big-name brands closing stores this year:
- Argos – The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
- B&Q – The chain has over 300 shops across the UK, so chances are you have one near you, but some stores have closed in recent months.
- Boots – The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer’s estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
- Clintons – Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last year. We’ve listed the stores affected.
- Costa Coffee – The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you’ll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We’ve revealed which stores are due to close this year.
- Iceland – The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
- Lidl – The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
- M&S – M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It’s not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops as well.
- Trespass – The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
- WHSmith – The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shuttered eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.
