Lymington branch among 73 axed by Pizza Express

PIZZA Express in Lymington will not be reopening, the company has announced, as the New Forest’s unemployment figures grew to more than 4,200 people last month.

The huge pizza chain, which has been running since 1965, revealed this week that it was having to shut 73 branches with the loss of 1,100 jobs nationwide as a result of the coronavirus lockdown.

Pizza Express did not say how many people were employed at the local restaurant in High Street, but it is likely all will lose their jobs rather than be relocated.

The company’s closest alternative eateries are in Christchurch and Southampton.

Zoe Bowley, Pizza Express managing director for the UK and Ireland, 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.

“In most cases, there is another Pizza Express nearby, either already open or reopening soon, to welcome our customers.”

She added: “Our focus is on our people whose jobs are impacted and we will be doing everything we can either to redeploy them or to support them in finding roles elsewhere.

“Hard as this process is, it will protect the jobs of over 9,000 of our colleagues and provide a strong footing for Pizza Express to meet future challenges and opportunities.”

Commenting on social media, one former Lymington customer said: “So sad for all the staff who will be losing their jobs.”

News of the closure of the Lymington Pizza Express came as it was revealed that the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits in the New Forest district rose to 4,240 in July, according to the Office for National Statistics.

It is an increase from 4,065 the previous month, and more than two-and-a-half times the number in March of 1,525.

The proportion of working age people claiming out-of-work benefits was 4.3% compared with 5.3% in the south-east region and 6.5% across Britain.

In the Christchurch parliamentary constituency in July there were 2,085 claimants, up from 1,990 in June. The March figure was nearly three time lower at 765.

It means the proportion out of work was 4.7% compared with 5.3% in the south-west.