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.”
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