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A Pret a Manger shop sign
The coffee and sandwich shop chain has struggled to deal with the slump in commuter numbers since the pandemic struck, with branches in the City of London particularly hard hit. Photograph: Nick Ansell/PA
The coffee and sandwich shop chain has struggled to deal with the slump in commuter numbers since the pandemic struck, with branches in the City of London particularly hard hit. Photograph: Nick Ansell/PA

UK high street loses 1,000 more jobs amid Covid crisis

This article is more than 3 years old

Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Pret a Manger cut roles and announce store closures

A further 1,000 high street job cuts were announced on Friday as Edinburgh Woollen Mill axed 600 posts and Pret a Manger cut a further 400 jobs.

Edinburgh Woollen Mills – which also owns the Jaeger, Peacocks and Austin Reed chains – confirmed on Friday it would shut 50 stores with the loss of 600 jobs.

The chain, which is owned by businessman Philip Day, last week warned its 21,500 staff it was on the brink of collapse and preparing to appoint administrators in an attempt to save the business.

The first step of the restructuring process is the closure of 50 shops, mostly Peacocks and Edinburgh Woollen Mill branches. About 600 staff – mainly those who work on the shop floor – have been told they have lost their jobs.

Last week EWM said it was “responding to the harsh trading conditions caused by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and a recent reduction in its credit insurance”.

The coffee and sandwich shop chain Pret a Manger said it would cut 400 jobs and close six more outlets in London after a slowdown in sales growth since September due to the the coronavirus pandemic. The latest redundancies, all of which are in stores, come on top of nearly 2,900 job cuts and 30 shop closures announced in August.

Pret has struggled to deal with the slump in commuter numbers since the pandemic struck, with branches in the City of London particularly hard hit.

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The major restaurant chain closures and job losses

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Costa Coffee – 1,650 jobs 3 September: The company, which was bought by Coca-Cola two years ago, is cutting up to 1,650 jobs in its cafes, more than one in 10 of its workforce. The assistant store manager role will go across all shops.

Pret a Manger – 2,890 jobs 27 August: The majority of the cuts are focused on the sandwich chain's shop workers, but 90 roles will be lost in its support centre teams. The cuts include the 1,000 job losses announced on 6 July.

Pizza Express – 1,100 jobs 4 August: The restaurant chain plans the closure of 70 restaurants as part of a rescue restructure deal.

Azzurri Group (includes Ask Italian and Zizzi) 17 July: 1,200 jobs lost and 75 restaurants closed ahead of sale to private equity firm

Byron 31 July: 31 out of 51 restaurants closed in rescue deal, with 650 job losses.

Carluccio’s Collapsed In March. About 1,200 jobs were lost when just 31 of its 73 sites were taken on by investor Ranjit Singh Boparan.

Casual Dining Group (includes Cafe Rouge, Bella Italia and Las Iguanas) 2 July: Closed 91 of its 250 outlets last month, with loss of 1,900 jobs. Sold to private equity.

Chilango 22 July: Has admitted being on the brink of collapse, with the potential loss of 152 jobs.

Pizza Express Closing 67 outlets, putting 1,100 jobs at risk.

Pret a Manger 6 July: Closing 30 branches as part of wider restructuring that puts at least 1,000 jobs at risk.

The Restaurant Group 3 June: Has closed 61 of the 80 branches of Tex-Mex chain Chiquito and 11 Food and Fuel pubs, eliminating 1,500 jobs.Also closing another 120 sites, mainly Frankie & Benny’s, with nearly 3,000 jobs going.

Tossed Went bust in July. Its 20 stores are shut. 260 staff made redundant.


Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA
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Pret, which had 389 shops in the UK employing 6,500 people before the latest job cuts, said it would be making a “number of adjustments” within the business to reduce jobs as well as closing the additional outlets.

It said its new coffee subscription service and online business via takeaway courier firms such as Just Eat and Deliveroo was performing strongly and sales had grown over the past four months since high streets were allowed to reopen.

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The group is also opening new motorway service station sites with the operator Moto in Cherwell Valley and Rugby.

Clare Clough, the UK managing director of Pret, 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.”

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