Pret to close 30 UK stores

Leading UK food-to-go retailer, Pret, has announced that 30 sites will close permanently as part of a restructure to cope with the impact of COVID-19.  The closures represent just over 7% of Pret’s 410-strong estate. Two-thirds of the closures will be outside London, including sites in Glasgow, Reading, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Sheffield.  It will also start a consultation to reduce headcount across remaining UK stores and support staff and will put the lease of its main support office in Victoria, London, up for sale.

Pret has experienced a 74% drop in sales year-on-year because of a “significant impact of covid-19 on operating costs and cash flow”. Last week sales reached £2.7m, compared with £16.5m in normal times.  Pret expects sales to reach no more than 60% of normal levels in the coming months.

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