04-07-2025
Italian restaurant chain to shut all but one site in UK as boss admits ‘we simply don't have the clout'
A POPULAR Italian restaurant chain has announced it will be pulling the shutters on another location.
The move marks the company's third closure in recent years, leaving just one venue in operation.
Beloved Italian institution Croma revealed it would soon be closing one of its two remaining locations, in Chorlton, Manchester.
The Italian-fusion chain opened its first restaurant in 2000 and became famous for its creative dishes, which are made with specialist ingredients.
Based around Manchester, Croma's original venue was located on Clarence Street in the city centre.
Post-Covid closures
This location remained a staple in the area for over two decades before closing its doors in 2022 following the on-going impact of the pandemic.
The following year, bosses announced the closure of the Didsbury venue.
They cited the end of the location's lease as the main reason for closure.
After this, only the Chorlton and Prestwich restaurants remained in operation.
And now the team behind the group of restaurants has said it will now also be closing the Chorlton venue later this month.
Bosses released a statement sharing their sadness at the closure in south Manchester.
They announced that the last day of operation will be on Sunday, July 28.
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The location first opened in 2005 and had recently undergone a revamp in 2023.
This renovation saw a conservatory extension and an external patio dinning area added to the venue.
The restaurant is known for its famous pizza as well as other menu favourites including Tandoori chicken, crab pappardelle, and lasagne.
Croma also offers desserts, including in-house gelato and its popular homemade Tiramisu.
'After 20 amazing years, we're sadly saying goodbye," Croma bosses said.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025."
It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024.
End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker.
It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date.
This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023.
It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns.
The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker.
Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations.
Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes.
Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
"By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
"Our beloved Chorlton restaurant will be closing its doors at 10pm on Sunday, 28th July 2025.
'Join us one last time and come down to raise a glass and share a slice of fabulous Pizza as we celebrate two decades of incredible memories with our wonderful community.
"Let's make these final weeks unforgettable.'
Remaining location
Bosses also confirmed the Prestwich restaurant, on Longfield Centre, will remain open, serving customers seven days a week for lunch and dinner.
The group of restaurants was co-founded by Andrew Bullock and Bob Dunn, after they left the Pizza Express franchise.
Andrew spoke to the Manchester Evening News when the closure of the original city centre venue was first announced three years ago.
'As an independent, we simply don't have the clout with landlords, or the balance sheet that large companies have," he said.
More restaurant closures
Another beloved restaurant chain announced the closure of all its locations after two decades in business.
And a Coronation Street star recently confirmed the closure of her restaurant after 13 years.
Plus, a complete list of all the Wetherspoons set to close their doors this year.
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