A MAJOR pizza chain operating takeaways in 450 locations has abruptly shut four more stores.
All four Papa Johns stores across Cardiff in South Wales have shut their doors to customers.
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The pizza chain’s stores in Dunleavy Drive Retail Park, Thornhill Road and Cowbridge Road East have permanently closed.
The chain’s fourth restaurant on City Road says it is temporarily closed and is still on the website.
A spokesperson for Papa Johns said: “We can confirm that these franchise-owned locations in South Wales have closed.
“We are currently exploring possibilities around new ownership in the area.
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“We are grateful to all our team members and hope to see our loyal customers again soon.”
Diners have taken to Facebook and said that they aren’t “massively” surprised about the closures.
One person said: “Only had one in my life and it was so expensive and so average!
“Much better local take aways around, plus real Italian restaurants and dominos when you fancy the greasy stuff.”
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Another said: “Perhaps if they didn’t charge 700 quid for pizza then they may have lasted.”
“That will save a lot on cholesterol,” joked a third diner.
It comes just a month after two other Papa Johns restaurants closed in south Wales.
Branches in Newport and Cwbran both closed their doors on Monday, November 27.
But Pappa Johns has also been closing branches across the UK.
Stores in Glasgow, Plymouth, Worcester, Hereford and Guildford have all shut in recent months.
In Glasgow, three of the major pizza chain’s restaurants in Duke Street, Shawlands and Broomhill were shut.
And in Paisley, the store on Glasgow Road closed.
At the time a source told The Sun that around 100 jobs were at risk as a result of the closures.
They blasted the US-based pizza giant for allowing the four stores to be closed.
They added: “We believe that such actions by Papa John’s are not only unjust but also reflect a lack of empathy and compassion towards their dedicated workforce.
“We have been kept in dark and don’t know why the stores have been closed or what’s happening to our jobs.
“We are talking about the third largest pizza company in the world who is treating their employees in a disgusting manner.”
Why are retailers closing branches?
The cost of living crisis, stubbornly high inflation and energy costs are taking their toll on retailers.
Shoppers have been cutting back spending, while the cost of actually running a store has also increased, meaning some outlets have struggled to keep going.
Figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) this summer found the UK had lost 6,000 stores over a five-year period.
Several major brands have also collapsed and closed stores for good.
Wilko‘s fall in August marked the biggest British retail collapse since McColl’s plunged into administration in May last year.
Paperchase collapsed into administration at the end of January this year and all 106 stores closed for good.
Scottish clothing brand M&Co and wellies retailer Joules were among a host of other familiar brands that went bust in 2022.
But shoppers still have reason to be cheerful as other retailers are actually expanding this year.
The Sun recently revealed discount retailer Costco is expanding in the UK and is planning to open 14 more warehouses over the next two years.
Bonmarche is opening at least seven new stores after filing for administration in 2019, while The White Company is due to open new stores in October and November.
Once-huge bakery chain Patisserie Valerie, which also collapsed into administration and closed most of its stores, has started reopening branches, as revealed by the Sun.
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Wilko shops have already started returning to the UK high street after the chain collapsed earlier this year.
We also recently revealed bakeries Wenzels, Greggs, Dunkin’ Donuts and The Cornish Bakery are all in the process of expanding in the UK.
