The British high street looks more and more bruised. Even betting shops are shutting. With footfall down and consumer uncertainty hitting sales, the casual dining sector is a prominent casualty. Restaurant closures averaged 15 per week in the year to the end of March, according to the CGA industry tracker.
In May, Jamie’s Italian went into administration. Last month PizzaExpress, which opened its first restaurant in 1965, published its annual report that showed a loss before tax of £55m for 2018 compared with £29m a year earlier.
