Pret A Manger will cut another 400 jobs and close six more shops two months after sandwich chain axed 2,800 workers
- In August the coffee and sandwich chain axed 2,800 roles with 30 sites closed
- The chain said its recovery slowed in the face of recently tightened restriction
- Pret’s CEO said the coronavirus pandemic has ‘taken away a decade of growth’
Pret A Manger has said it plans to shut six more shops and cut around another 400 jobs after its recovery slowed in the face of recently tightened restrictions and rising case numbers.
In August, the coffee and sandwich chain axed 2,800 roles as part of a restructuring which saw it close 30 sites.
It said it has seen ‘consistent sales growth’ in the four months since reopening sites but this has ‘slowed since the end of September’.
Pret A Manger has said it plans to shut six more shops and cut around another 400 jobs just two months the after sandwich chain axed 2,800 workers and closed 30 sites
Clare Clough, Pret’s UK managing director, said: ‘It’s absolutely right that we take steps to stop the spread of the virus and tackle the new wave of infections.
‘Sadly, the result of the rise in infections and the necessary shift in public health guidance mean that our recovery has slowed.
‘We’ve said all along that it’s up to Pret to decide our own future and that we must adapt to the new situation we find ourselves in.
‘That’s why we have to make these further changes as we continue to transform our business model and prepare for the six months ahead.
‘We are doing everything we can to support our team members and to prevent further job losses at Pret.’
When the chain announced the cuts in August chief executive Pano Christou said In a statement released today the coronavirus pandemic ‘has taken away almost a decade of growth at Pret’.
He added that the popular cafe franchise had ‘managed to protect many jobs’ but is ‘gutted that we’ve had to lose so many colleagues’.
A survey by the Confederation of British Industry found that UK retailers have cut jobs at the fastest rate since the financial crisis in 2009.
The CBI report found the employment balance, which measures the number of retailers laying off and hiring staff over the past year, had dropped to minus 45 per cent in August from minus 20 per cent in May.
The figures, which are the lowest level the country has seen since February 2009, also revealed an unexpected slump in retail sales in August with its balance falling to minus 6 per cent from 4 per cent in July.
It was revealed that the retail bloodbath has claimed or put under threat at least 41,391 UK jobs since the lockdown was introduced in late March until end of August.
On Wednesday Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) announced it is to close 26 restaurants and axe 362 roles despite being saved from administration
Just two days ago Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) announced it is to close 26 restaurants and axe 362 roles despite being saved from administration.
The chain had been bought in a rescue deal by Boparan Restaurant Group, which also plucked Carluccio’s out of insolvency earlier in the pandemic.
GBK said it had started to see improvements in trading last year after a major restructuring process in 2018, which saw it shut a raft of sites