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Did you know that Franco Manca’s sourdough crust originates from a starter that is hundreds of years old? The starter was sourced from a bakery near Naples and apparently dates all the way back to the late eighteenth century. It’s one of the secrets to the chain’s success since it opened its first pizzeria in Brixton in 2008.
But for those who can’t get enough of Franco Manca’s tangy dough and delicious toppings, we have some sad news. Your nearest branch could be closing down.
At the moment the chain has around 70 pizzerias in the UK. But now, 16 are due to shutter as part of a restructuring with 225 jobs set to be impacted.
The chain is run by parent group The Fulham Shore (which also oversees The Real Greek). It partly blamed ‘disproportionately high’ UK taxes and a lack of business rates relief for the closures. The business says that the sites closing down are ‘no longer sustainable’.
Which Franco Manca restaurants will close?
We don’t know all of the specific branches that will close but it’s understood that eight are in London with others in Glasgow, Hove and Plymouth. It’s also not yet clear exactly when they’ll close.
What’s been said about the closures?
Marcel Khan, chief executive of The Fulham Shore, said: ‘Even restaurant businesses that are doing all the right things from a customer and operational perspective are not immune to widely publicised pressures impacting the hospitality industry.
‘We are deeply saddened by the closures of a minority proportion of our restaurants, and will support our affected team members throughout this process in every way that we can.’
According to reports, the group is also exploring its future options for The Real Greek, which has 28 outposts across the country.
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