PIZZA and Italian food lovers are in mourning as 75 Ask Italian and Zizzi branches are set to close.
The high street chains will take the hit after the Azzuri group – which owns the popular restaurants – said the coronavirus outbreak created a “challenging environment”.
Which Zizzi restaurants are closing?
Azzurri Group has been pulled from administration by US investment firm TowerBrook Capital Partners.
Around 225 restaurants across both Zizzi and Ask Italian have been saved along with 5,000 jobs.
However, there are 75 locations in total that will not reopen, while 1,200 jobs are at risk.
It is not yet clear how many Zizzi branches will be affected – but more details are due to follow shortly.
Which Ask Italian restaurants are closing?
It is not yet clear how many, or which branches, of Ask Italian are set to shut.
The group said that it would press ahead with plans to reopen an initial group of 40 Ask Italian and Zizzi restaurants next week.
Nearly 100,000 jobs have so far been lost due to the UK coronavirus outbreak, with at least 12,000 of those in the hospitality sector.
It seems Ask Italian and Zizzi are not the only brand restaurants to suffer as a result of the virus.
Hospitality giant the Casual Dining Group – which owns brands such as Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge, Carluccio’s, Pret a Manger and Le Pain Quotidien – has announced a series of cuts across all brands.
Meanwhile, Pizza Express also announced they would shut 75 of their restaurants across the country.
