Pizza Express has revealed the identity of the 73 branches it will close, with the loss of up to 1,100 jobs.

Norwich Evening News: Pizza Express in St Benedicts Street, Norwich Pic: ArchantPizza Express in St Benedicts Street, Norwich Pic: Archant (Image: Archant)

The chain, which is the latest high street giant to announce cuts as coronavirus continues to bite, has thrashed out a deal to reduce many of its rents.

It currently has 454 UK restaurants, but earnings are understood to have been falling in recent months.

Despite fears, there will be relief in Norfolk, whose three outlets - St Benedict’s and The Forum in Norwich, and one in King’s Lynn - are staying open.

Pizza Express said it had hired advisers from Lazard to lead a sale process for the business, which is majority owned by Chinese firm Hony Capital.

Zoe Bowley, Pizza Express’s managing director for the UK and Ireland, said: “Unfortunately, the impact of the global pandemic has meant that we have had to make some incredibly tough decisions to safeguard Pizza Express for the long term.”

Ms Bowley said that in most cases, the stores selected for closure were near to another Pizza Express that had already reopened or would be reopening soon.

Those closing are:

Aberdeen, Belmont St

Aylesbury

Barnstaple, Three Tuns

Biggleswade

Billericay

Birmingham, Corporation St

Birmingham, Mailbox

Bournemouth, Post Office Road

Bramhall

Bristol, Berkeley Square

Bristol, Regent Street

Bromsgrove

Bruton Place, London

Charlotte Street, London

Chippenham

Dalton Park

Darlington

Dudley, Merry Hill

Earls Court, Earls Court Road, London

Edinburgh, Holyrood

Formby

Fulham Palace Road, London

Glasgow, Princes Square

Glossop

Gosforth

Grantham

Halifax

Hampstead, London

Hatch End

Hereford

Heswall

Ipswich, Lloyds Avenue

Leeds, Crown Street

Leeds, Horsforth

Ludlow

Lymington

Melton Mowbray

Midhurst

Milton Keynes, Hub

Moseley

New Brighton

Newcastle

Newport, Isle of Wight

Newport, South Wales

Northallerton

Nottingham, Goosegate

O2 Finchley, London

Orpington

Oxford, Oxford Castle

Poole

Port Solent

Ramsgate

Reading, St Mary’s Butts

Scarborough

Sheffield, Devonshire Street

Sheffield, The Moor

Shirley

Southport, Old Bank

Stafford

Staines

Stoke

Stourbridge

Sudbury

Torquay

Uxbridge

Wakefield

Walsall

Wapping

Wardour Street, London

Weston-super-Mare

Whiteley Village

Whitstable

Wrexham