Papa Johns pizza chain to shut 'underperforming' Lancaster takeaway

Papa Johns in North Road has been listed as one of more than 40 “underperforming” branches across the country which are set to close from mid-May.

The closure decision follows a review launched at the start of the year which flagged “underperforming locations that are no longer financially viable”. A consultation process is under way.

It has not been confirmed how many members of staff will be affected. Previously, Papa Johns said that it had planned "strategic closures" to free up money for investment, but that 43 branches had now been identified.

Chris Phylactou, managing director at Papa Johns UK, said: “Our priority is our team members who will be fully supported throughout this process. Our goal is to work with impacted team members and attempt to find redeployment opportunities where available.

"We understand the impact this will have on our team members and are committed to supporting them during this time.”

Papa Johns said that it plans to increase investment in research and technology, as well as looking into the development of news types of sites beyond restaurants. This includes expanding into holiday parks as well as retail partners.

Mr Phylactou added: “While this is a difficult decision, closing these underperforming locations will give us the opportunity to invest back into the right locations with the right partners for long-term growth.

"We are focused on driving shared profitable growth across our UK restaurants by continuing to make improvements to our business to ensure that we are well positioned for the future.”