Pizza Express has announced plans to close 73 of its restaurants across the UK - including its site in Wrexham.

The proposed closures, which aim to reduce the chain's costs via a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), could result in 1,100 job losses.

Wrexham's site in Eagles Meadow is set to close, but Broughton was not on the list.

Cllr Gareth Baines said on Twitter: "Saddened to hear Pizza Express Wrexham is to close. An urgent plan of action needs to made regarding Eagles Meadow, with the possibility of other stores closing or entering liquidation."

The company, which currently has around 454 restaurants in the UK, said it has finalised a proposal to reduce its restaurant and rental costs via a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

The siad this proposal is part of the 'wider holistic recapitalisation' and restructuring transaction, which will 'significantly strengthen the Group' and provide funding to deliver its future growth plan.

Zoe Bowley, UK&I Managing Director, added: "The announcement of the CVA proposal today follows a period of constructive dialogue with the British Property Federation and a broad range of our landlords. We have taken onboard their feedback and accommodated their requests as far as possible.

“Unfortunately, the impact of the global pandemic has meant that we have had to make some incredibly tough decisions to safeguard PizzaExpress for the long term. Today we have confirmed that 73 of our pizzerias are proposed to close permanently. In most cases, there is another PizzaExpress nearby, either already open or reopening soon, to welcome our customers. Our focus is on our people whose jobs are impacted and we will be doing everything we can either to redeploy them or to support them in finding roles elsewhere. Hard as this process is, it will protect the jobs of over 9,000 of our colleagues and provide a strong footing for PizzaExpress to meet future challenges and opportunities.”

The following restaurants have been earmarked for closure:

Aberdeen, Belmont St

Aylesbury

Barnstaple, Three Tuns

Biggleswade

Billericay

Birmingham, Corporation St

Birmingham, Mailbox

Bournemouth, Post Office Rd

Bramhall

Bristol, Berkeley Sq

Bristol, Regent St

Bromsgrove

Bruton Place

Charlotte St

Chippenham

Dalton Park

Darlington

Dudley, Merry Hill

Earls Court, Earls Ct Rd

Edinburgh, Holyrood

Formby

Fulham Palace Road

Glasgow, Princes Square

Glossop

Gosforth

Grantham

Halifax

Hampstead

Hatch End

Hereford

Heswall

Ipswich, Lloyds Ave

Leeds, Crown St

Leeds, Horsforth

Ludlow

Lymington

Melton Mowbray

Midhurst

Milton Keynes, Hub

Moseley

New Brighton

Newcastle

Newport, Isle of Wight

Newport, South Wales

Northallerton

Nottingham, Goosegate

O2 Finchley

Orpington

Oxford, Oxford Castle

Poole

Port Solent

Ramsgate

Reading, St Mary's Butts

Scarborough

Sheffield, Devonshire St

Sheffield The Moor

Shirley

Southport, Old Bank

Stafford

Staines

Stoke

Stourbridge

Sudbury

Torquay

Uxbridge

Wakefield

Walsall

Wapping

Wardour St

Weston-super-Mare

Whiteley Village

Whitstable

Wrexham

PizzaExpress will seek approval of the CVA proposals from its creditors by way of a virtual meeting on 4 September 2020.

Melanie Leech, Chief Executive, British Property Federation (BPF), commented: “These situations are never easy, particularly now for the retail, hospitality and leisure businesses on our high streets at the sharp end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Property owners, however, need to take into consideration the impact on their investors, including the millions of people whose savings and pensions are invested in commercial property, as they vote on any CVA proposal.

“PizzaExpress and Deloitte engaged with the BPF before launching this CVA proposal. This has provided us an opportunity to improve understanding of property owners’ interests and concerns, but ultimately it will be for individual property owners to decide how they will vote on the CVA.”