Pizza Express to close Grantham restaurant for good

Pizza Express in Grantham will not reopen, it has been confirmed.

The High Street restaurant is one of 73 across the UK to permanently close, with a total of 1,100 jobs expected to go.

The chain, which currently has 454 outlets, said it had cut a deal to reduce rent costs.

Zoe Bowley, managing director for the UK and Ireland, said: "Unfortunately, the impact of the global pandemic has meant that we have had to make some incredibly tough decisions to safeguard Pizza Express for the long term."

Pizza Express, which is majority owned by Chinese firm Hony Capital, also confirmed it had hired advisers from Lazard to lead a sale process for the business.