Review and Reasons for Closures
Out of 450 restaurants operating in the UK, including those in service stations and holiday parks, 43 will be closed. The company has not provided an exact number of jobs that may be affected by these changes. The UK managing director, Chris Phylactou, emphasized that the priority is the employees, who will be fully supported throughout this process. The company also plans to attempt to relocate affected employees to other locations, if possible. The closures affect sites across England - from Harrogate in North Yorkshire to St Helens in Merseyside, Billericay in Essex, and Eastbourne in East Sussex.
Revival of the Sector and Future of the Network
Despite difficulties in some sectors of the hospitality industry, the overall takeaway food market is flourishing, according to consultancy PwC, which pointed out that last year saw a net opening of 151 chain takeaway shops. Papa Johns had previously announced "strategic closures" to free up funds for investment and improve profitability at its remaining UK sites. The company plans further expansion into non-traditional locations, such as holiday parks, and announced it would reveal new large retail partners in the coming months. The US owner of Papa Johns stated that the UK is their second-largest market and is committed to driving growth in the Islands and improving long-term results.
Meanwhile, Revolution Bars, also the owner of Revolucion de Cuba, after a period of "external challenges" affecting trade, is actively exploring all strategic options available to improve the future prospects of the group, which could include restructuring parts of the group or selling "all or part" of the group.
