Newbury Pizza Express to stay open

Market Place outlet escapes the axe as 73 restaurants set to close

Newbury's Pizza Express restaurant in Market Place is to stay open as the national chain announced where 73 of its UK outlets would close, with the potential loss of 1,100 jobs.

The chain, which currently has 454 UK outlets, has hired advisers to lead a sale of the business.

Pizza Express managing director Zoe Bowley 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."

Among the outlets to close are St Mary's Butts, Reading, and Oxford Castle.

The news that Newbury's Pizza Express has escaped the axe is good news for the town centre where the ASK Italian restaurant in Market Place and Cafe Rouge in Parkway have already closed during the coronavirus lockdown.